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End of an Era reflections on the tenure of John Bardo western carolina Winter 2011 t h e M a g a z i n e O f W E s t e r n C a r o l i n a U n i v e r s i t y Pride to Pasadena rose parade wrap-up Special section inside Think you found a home at WCU? Actually, you helped build it. Each time you give to the Loyalty Fund, you provide scholarship support to our students, ensuring WCU is home for generations to come. Loyalty Fund | give.wcu.edu | 201 HF Robinson, Cullowhee NC 28723 Winter 2011 Volume 15, No. 1 The Magazine of Western Carolina University is produced by the Office of Public Relations in the Division of Advancement and External Affairs for alumni, faculty, staff, friends and students of Western Carolina University. Chancellor John W. Bardo Vice Chancellor Advancement and External Affairs Clifton B. Metcalf Managing Editor Bill Studenc MPA ’10 Associate Editors Teresa Killian Tate Jill Ingram MA ’08 Art Director Rubae Schoen Chief Photographer Mark Haskett ’87 graphic designer Katie Martin Staff Writers Ashlea Allen Green Randall Holcombe Christy Martin ’71 MA ’78 Steve White ’67 Staff Photographers Ashley T. Evans Jarrett Frazier Calendar Editor Laura Huff ’03 Production Manager Loretta R. Adams ’80 Circulation Manager Cindi Magill Search for this button throughout the magazine for stories that feature online extras – videos, photographs and more, available ONLY online. magazine.wcu.edu western carolina Table of Contents Features resident status The campus makeover continues with the opening of residence halls moving on up A $2.5 million federal grant supports a program for people with disabilities Special Section Pride of the Mountains blossoms at the Rose Parade Cover story end of an era John Bardo prepares to step down after 16 years as chancellor Sections 8 News from the Western Hemisphere 26 WCU Athletics 32 Alumni Achievements 40 Class Notes 46 Calendar 4 14 Electronic delivery of Western Carolina magazine is free and includes all the content of the print version plus instant access to online extras. Receive your magazine earlier AND save paper! want to Receive your magazine electronically? Subscribing is easy. Send an e-mail to magazineaddress@wcu.edu, including your name and e-mail address in the message body, and start receiving Western Carolina magazine online. 18 center of magazine 4 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University resident status A major campus makeover continues with the opening of twin residence halls By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 With the dedication of new Balsam and Blue Ridge residence halls, the university equivalent of a “total remodel” home improvement project is nearly complete. All that remains now is some major landscaping to tie all the pieces together. The transformation of the center of the Western Carolina campus from a university where a trip from the student union to the cafeteria often involved dodging heavy traffic on a busy state road to one with a pedestrian-friendly, traditional college quad was made possible by the relocation of Centennial Drive away from the center core of campus in 2005. The remodel included a major renovation to A.K. Hinds University Center completed in 2004 that added 34,000 square feet of space, resulting in a new “living room” where students could gather out of the classroom. The Campus Recreation Center, which opened in fall 2008, is a 73,000-square-foot “rec room” featuring an indoor climbing wall and jogging track, along with a fully equipped fitness area and two multipurpose courts. The 53,000-square-foot Courtyard Dining Hall began operations in 2009, giving students a new “dining room,” with options ranging from an all-you-can-eat venue with multiple food stations to a mall-style food court. Now, with the opening of Balsam The adjoining Blue Ridge and Balsam residence halls, united by an archway, ring a campus center currently under construction (bottom left and inset). The campus center features green spaces, walkways and a fountain and is due for completion by summer. magazine.wcu.edu Winter 2011 | 5 Residence Hall in 2009 and Blue Ridge Hall this year through a $50 million construction project, 800 students have new bedrooms. Residents of the new halls include members of WCU’s Honors College, which also has office space in the ground floor of Balsam Hall. The residential college for high-achieving students has grown from 77 students in 1997 to more than 1,400 undergraduates representing all disciplines. The lower level of Blue Ridge Hall features new campus conference facilities capable of accommodating more than 300 people. Brian Railsback, dean of the Honors College, said that the new residence halls make an excellent home for his students and will play a role in helping recruit even larger numbers of academically gifted students in the years ahead. “These two impressive residences are a marvel of careful design and are now home to a vibrant social life. These are important things, but they are not the most important,” Railsback said. “Above all, this facility is a place for learning. Working in the numerous study rooms together in groups, or working alone in their rooms, students here are doing the research and creative work initiated by challenges from our faculty. The students who pass through these halls are becoming professionals or top candidates for graduate school, set to make a difference in their world – and much of that transformation happens right here in the residence.” The Nov. 30 dedication ceremony also include recognition of a plaque located on the exterior wall of Blue Ridge Hall marking the site of Leatherwood Hall, which was leveled to make room for Blue Ridge, and to honor the contributions of those for whom the building was named – Therman and Nell M. Leatherwood. Work is under way on a campus center, with landscaping, walkways and a circular, zero-depth fountain being built between the Alumni Tower and Blue Ridge and Balsam. The majority of the project is expected to be completed by April or May. Balsam and Blue Ridge are home to the Honors College and will play a big part in preparing those students for life after college, said Brian Railsback (top left), Honors College dean. Students work in one of Balsam’s multiple lounges and study rooms (top right), while students Ian Youmans (left) and Adam Ray relax in a Balsam room. 6 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Hundreds of students call the new residence halls Balsam and Blue Ridge home, so it’s only fitting that photographs by members of the WCU family line the walls. During the past decade, the university has concentrated on upgrading common spaces in residence halls, said Keith Corzine ’82, director of residential living. Often this means adding pictures or prints. “It’s a nice touch, and it makes it feel more like home,” Corzine said. As Blue Ridge and Balsam progressed, “we knew we wanted to move in that direction.” Enter Megan Cavanah ’10, a resident assistant at the time the new halls were being built and now a WCU graduate student in mathematics. Her dad is not only an alumus, Cavanah told Corzine, but is a photographer. As it turned out, Corzine and Doug Cavanah ’82 were classmates. When Corzine saw Doug Cavanah’s work, he was sold. “He’s an incredible photographer,” Corzine said. Ultimately Cavanah, a full-time fine art photographer who lives part time in Franklin, contributed more than a dozen Western North Carolina nature prints that hang primarily in Balsam. Four large black-and-white photos hang prominently in the entrance hall to the Blue Ridge Conference Center. “We wanted that space to have a gallery feel,” Corzine said. “I am extremely proud that my pictures are hanging there,” said Cavanah, who forgoes digital in favor of a large-format view camera. “The school has made tremendous progress since I graduated, campus is beautiful, the students seem to be engaged, and I’m just happy with all that WCU has accomplished.” Corzine turned to another member of the WCU family, junior communication major and resident assistant Jarrett Frazier, to round out the photographs. Frazier, a Sylva native, has worked with university photographer Mark Haskett ’87 since his freshman year and commonly turns up with his camera at campus events. Corzine has used Frazier’s work at open houses and other recruiting events, and also liked Frazier’s nature shots. “He had a nice portfolio to choose from,” Corzine said. The walkway lounge above the arch connecting the two residence halls is a showcase for a series of Frazier’s wildflowers. For printing and mounting the photos (with the exception of Cavanah’s black-and-white images, which he printed himself), Corzine turned to Tom Frazier ’79, Jarrett’s father and WCU manager of printing, mailing and PAW Print services, who also helped select photos for display. (Jarrett Frazier’s mother is Vickey Frazier ’75, and his brother is Patrick Frazier ’07, WCU assistant director of admission.) “A lot of visioning went into that residence hall project, and it’s really nice when the finished project – which includes the Doug Cavanah touch and a Jarrett Frazier touch and Tom Frazier imprint – is greater than the vision you had for it, and that’s how I felt about this project,” Corzine said. photographic study The images throughout new residence halls have WCU connections By jill ingram MA ’08 Photos by WCU student Jarrett Frazier and Doug Cavanah ’82 (above) hang throughout the new residence halls. Four large-scale black-and-white photos by Cavanah, including one fittingly titled “Blue Ridge” (top), hang in the Blue Ridge Conference Center entryway. Winter 2011 | 7 Some “boys from Brazil” are setting up a high-tech enterprise in Cullowhee, but this group of enterprising South Americans has nothing to do with nefarious plots or clones of notorious dictators. Instead, this band of Brazilians is collaborating with Western Carolina’s Kimmel School to develop new technology that could help wean the nation from its dependence on petroleum-based power. The Brazil-based renewable energy corporation Vale Energy Solutions (Vale Soluções em Energia, or VSE), agreed this fall to bring the headquarters of its U.S. operations to WCU to take advantage of faculty resources BOYS FROM BRAZIL The Kimmel School teams up with a South America-based renewable energy company By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 and laboratory space in the Kimmel School. The public-private partnership was formalized Oct. 11 when university and company representatives signed documents hailed by WCU Chancellor John W. Bardo. “VSE will benefit from our faculty expertise and other resources. WCU faculty will benefit from having access to new high-tech equipment, and WCU students will benefit from hands-on educational experiences, internships and international exchange opportunities in Brazil,” Bardo said. The region and the environment also could be big winners because of the partnership, he said. “If the project works like we think it will, we may be able to build a manufacturing facility to make these new turbines, which could mean as many as 300 new jobs. We hope those jobs will be in Western North Carolina.” The relationship enables VSE and its U.S. subsidiary, TAO Sustainable Power Solutions, to work with the Kimmel School to engineer a new turbine power system that runs on renewable energy sources. TAO occupies offices located on the second floor of WCU’s Center for Applied Technology. “VSE is interested in developing this technology to satisfy a worldwide need: efficient distributed power generation from renewable fuels,” said Robert McMahan, Kimmel School dean. “Brazil produces enormous amounts of sugarcane, which is already used to produce automotive transport fuels for their domestic use. This program will result in the development and production of systems that can use these and other renewable fuels to generate power while also, in some cases, cleaning potable water from contaminated or brackish sources. The company turned to us for the expertise to help make this happen.” The company also plans to use the technology to help bring the world’s first “green Olympics” to Rio de Janeiro in 2016. James Pessoa, president and CEO of VSE and TAO, said the agreement is just the first step in a long-term partnership. “This is a great honor for me and for VSE to be here to sign and to celebrate our technological collaboration agreement for the development of advanced turbines,” Pessoa said. “I’m certain that this is the starting point of a long-range and very fruitful collaboration between VSE and Western Carolina University.” Among possible future projects is a potential “game-changer” – a turbine that would produce not only nonpolluting energy but also fresh, drinkable water from such sources as saltwater, brackish water and industrial effluent. Fernando Mauricio Mengele (top, from left) and Marcos Leal of Vale Energy Solutions discuss stress analysis methods with Monty Graham ’95 MS ’03 of the Kimmel School. Inset, inventor Karl Stetson (left ) and Caden Painter ’08, a WCU energy management specialist, watch a holographic analysis of a turbine blade. magazine.wcu.edu 8 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University all’s well Geology students get hands-on experiences with research that supports the development of WCU’s Hydrologic Station By TERESA KILIAN TATE Wading into muddy creeks to measure stream velocity or going out in the rain to gather water samples was about more than just completing a project for geology students in a senior seminar research class. Their student-designed analysis of creeks in the Cullowhee community and how groundwater and streamwater interact was about being part of an effort that continues today and could help improve water quality. “I realized how much fun it is to actually put into practice what we learned in class, and how gratifying it was to see a project that we had designed turn out so well and be used to help the groundwater evaluation sites be established at WCU,” said John Hayes ’10, from Chapel Hill. “Water is one of the most valuable resources we have, and we need to do more to protect it so it is clean and does not run out.” Their research not only earned the students an invitation to present at a national professional meeting but also proved to be preliminary work on sites that are now part of the developing WCU Hydrologic Station. As part of the initiative, WCU has committed to participate in regular groundwater and streamwater research and monitoring, and the N.C. Division of Water Quality has installed about 40 shallow groundwater wells around campus at depths ranging from 5 to 25 feet. “It is an opportunity to partner with a university doing work of common interest,” said Ted Campbell, a hydrogeologist with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “By working with WCU on this project, we can leverage our resources to learn more about groundwater and stream interactions, and water quality in these settings, which will help us to determine whether or not current approaches to sampling and permitting are appropriate and optimally effective.” Mark Lord, head of WCU’s Geosciences and Natural Resources Department, said students in the senior seminar research class are encouraged to focus their work on regional issues. Classes have focused on such topics as landslides in Haywood County, paleoclimate analysis of a wetland in Panthertown, the impact of Dillsboro dam on the Tuckaseigee River and now, streamwater and groundwater. “This is a great example of giving students a terrific learning experience that is authentic and real in which they collaborate with professionals in a wide variety of disciplines on research that is important to our region,” said Lord. “Understanding our groundwater resources is increasingly important as we see more development and, as we saw in recent years, with drought conditions that caused wells to run dry. The more we know, the better informed we will be in making decisions that affect the quantity and quality of water in our community.” The experience helped push Danvey Walsh ’10 to pursue his master’s degree in hydrogeology at the University of Nevada in Reno, where he is a research assistant working on a 3-D geothermal reservoir modeling project. “I really learned that there is a lack of public education when it comes to groundwater and water issues,” Walsh said. “I hope this project can help reach out and inform the community about where our water really comes from.” Ted Campbell (far left), a hydrogeologist with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, measures depth during well installation on the WCU campus with student Paul Purnell. Mark Lord (above left), head of the WCU Geosciences and Natural Resources Department, and geology students go into the field to discuss and gather data for water quality research. Winter 2011 | 9 The newest additions to WCU’s landscape can withstand high winds, heavy rain, snow, ice and subzero temperatures, but won’t survive through the year. Installed in September, these works of metals, concrete and wood are pieces in a temporary outdoor sculpture exhibit. The sculptures are in the courtyard of the Fine and Performing Arts Center, with each piece specifically chosen for its site, said Denise Drury, interim museum director. For instance, “Nucleus of a Raindrop” by Hanna Jubran, of Grimesland by way of Israel, “is highly detailed, so we decided to place it near the entrance to the FAPAC box office so that visitors might have a more intimate experience with it,” Drury said. “Midden Artifacts,” five concrete mounds by Brian Glaze of Hendersonville, were placed in the lawn’s center as if rising from the earth like uncovered relics. Also part of the exhibit are “Ferrous Oak,” by J. Andrew Davis of Brevard, a vertical shaft of steel and cast iron; “Union,” by Deborah LaGrasse of Crawfordville, Fla., two identical joined aluminum forms; and “Over & Up,” by Robert Winkler of Asheville, a spiral of cedar and steel that employs straight lines only. While the outdoor exhibit is scheduled to end in October, it comes as part of a master plan to increase public access to art on campus through exhibits of temporary, permanent, neighborhood and themed art. An outdoor environment requires art “that stands out against its surroundings,” Jubran said. Outdoor art is more accessible to the public and typically gets more exposure than a piece housed indoors. When it’s been part of the landscape long enough, “once you remove it, people will miss it,” he said. BLOOMING WHILE THEY’RE PLANTED The art museum exhibits outdoor sculpture, and a fixture leaves his post By jill ingram MA ’08 Martin DeWitt, founding director and curator of the Fine Art Museum, has been a part of the WCU landscape since before the museum even opened, and, like public sculpture, now that he is gone, the WCU and surrounding communities surely miss him. “I think the timing is right for changes,” said DeWitt, who ended his run in December. Though his career spans more than 30 years in museum administration, he is a painter and sculptor who exhibits his own work and looks forward to more time in his studio. DeWitt joined the university in 2003, with the museum opening in 2005 as part of WCU’s Fine and Performing Arts Center. He was involved in the museum’s construction, curated its permanent collection (which grew to more than 1,200 objects) and drafted the blueprint for the facility’s operation. “Martin has been an outstanding founding director of the Fine Art Museum,” said Robert Kehrberg, dean of WCU’s College of Fine and Performing Arts, who praised DeWitt for defining a vision for the museum and cultivating it as a cultural destination. Regional artists have been a museum focus, among them Harvey K. Littleton, a pioneer of the studio glass movement; Lewis Buck, who creates paintings and assemblage pieces; glass artist Richard Ritter; and Mike Smith, who photographs contemporary Appalachia. DeWitt also showcased a number of American Indian artists, including Shan Goshorn, Luzene Hill and Natalie Smith. Outdoor art is accessible art: Children play on Brian Glaze’s “Midden Artifacts” in the Fine and Performing Arts Center courtyard. At right, a detail of the steel and cast iron ‘Ferrous Oak.’ fineartmuseum.wcu.edu Martin DeWitt 10 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University It was not the typical Thursday morning for song sparrow IR-IF. While defending his territory from the song of an intruding male, he landed in the net of Jeremy Hyman, a biology professor at Western Carolina University. Held tightly in Hyman’s hand, IR-IF got a set of ankle bands. Hyman measured the bird’s wing length, tarsus and beak before putting him in a white bag to weigh him. Hyman released the bird from his grip, and IR-IF flew to a nearby bush to pick at his new bands with his beak. “He’ll be back to defending his territory in no time,” Hyman said. IR-IF is king of the small garden and shrubs a courtyard adjacent to Hoey Auditorium, and is one of the most aggressive males at WCU. IR-IF’s territory is one of more than 100 on the campus. Hyman studies 40 of the territories. He researches the behaviors of song sparrows and compares the urbanized population around the campus to other areas. Hyman has loved bird-watching since he was a kid and learned the art of birding from his grandpa in New York City. “I didn’t know it could turn into a profession,” he said. He started teaching at WCU four years ago and spent the summer studying local bird populations on campus. “I immediately saw these birds were way more aggressive than the ones I’d known before,” said Hyman, who studied the same species extensively in Pennsylvania. Hyman measures how aggressive the birds are through playback experiments. He goes into a male’s territory and sets up a small speaker, which plays the song of another male from his field studies in Pennsylvania. Each male has a repertoire of about five to 13 songs. During mating season, roughly March to September, they sing the songs to attract females and hold their turf. Aggressive males will swoop down and chirp lower-pitched songs at the speaker. Hyman tracks how close the males get to the speaker and how many songs they sing during the experiment. To make sure the difference is truly between urban and rural populations instead of just between North Carolina and Pennsylvania sparrows, Hyman has done playback experiments at Purchase Knob, a remote area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Haywood County where the birds encounter few people. While Hyman has detected broad trends in the aggressiveness of rural versus urban populations, personalities vary between individual birds — just like they would within a group of people. For example, not all male song sparrows have the boisterous personality of IR-IF. “You also have these birds that are real wimps year after year,” he said. Reprinted in edited format with permission of the Smoky Mountain News. bird brain Song sparrow behavior strikes a chord as a research topic for a biology professor By ELIZABETH JENSEN magazine.wcu.edu Winter 2011 | 11 The studies that forensic science faculty members are planning for Western Carolina’s new state-of-the- art DNA sequencers could help introduce the technology into crime laboratory casework across the nation. The university recently acquired two instruments believed to generate significantly more DNA information from a test sample than the fluorescence-based chemistries and equipment that have been used for years in crime laboratories. Before the new technology can be reliably used in criminal investigations, however, exploratory studies must be conducted. And that’s where WCU comes in, said Mark Wilson, director of the forensic science program. “These instruments are most common in genome laboratories and have not yet made a debut in forensic science, but it’s just a matter of time,” said Wilson. “There is a lot of discussion in the forensic science community about how to integrate this technology into forensic casework. We will conduct some of the studies at WCU that are required for this kind of equipment to be introduced into crime laboratories so that the benefits of the new technology can be realized.” The new instruments use light signals to generate DNA sequence information on a very fine scale. Specifically, the equipment’s charge-coupled device, or CCD camera, takes pictures of light emitted from microscopic wells containing the DNA sequencing reagents and the DNA template to be sequenced. The pictures generated resemble a snowy TV screen, with each pixel representing a separate DNA sequencing reaction. The small pieces of DNA sequence are collected and then stitched together using computer programs to build larger sequences so that investigators can compare the results with other DNA sequences from a particular case or a database. “This approach assists with the difficult task of evaluating mixtures of different DNA sequences, such as those found in some evidentiary samples, or those found, for instance, from a soil sample containing multiple bacterial species science test Researchers at WCU are helping evaluate the next generation of DNA sequence analysis By TERESA KILIAN TATE from the Great Smoky Mountains,” said Wilson. “There are a multitude of different uses for this technology that expand beyond forensic science into widely divergent fields within biology.” The sequencer will be available for use in research by WCU faculty in a range of disciplines, including biology and chemistry, and students will benefit from becoming familiar with the equipment, said Wilson. “Our students will be exposed to a technology that is just now coming into the forefront,” he said. “They will gain valuable experience that is not offered in many undergraduate programs, especially in forensic science.” The forensic science program also recently received a $397,098 grant from the National Institute of Justice to evaluate an emerging method of DNA sequence analysis using these instruments. The method, called deep sequencing, can identify minor variations within a DNA sequence that are present as a small percentage of the whole. Using deep sequencing information from hair, mouth and blood samples, WCU’s research will attempt to reveal whether the forensic field might benefit in making interpretational changes in some aspects of human DNA analysis. “This research may have an impact on the number of interpretations that are currently inconclusive,” Wilson said. “In other words, it may result in more definitive conclusions, although this remains to be seen.” Rebecca Malott ’10 performs a DNA extraction from buccal cells with guidance from Brittania Bintz MS ’06 (background), forensic research scientist at WCU. 12 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University a FUNDRAISER with LEGS The evolving running scene on campus has a new attraction – WCU’s first half marathon By randall holcombe Runners from across the Southeast will get a chance to test their leg muscles this spring by participating in the new Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon. The race will start from the center of campus at 7 a.m. Sunday, April 3, and take runners on a scenic 13.1-mile journey through the Cullowhee Valley and along the Tuckaseigee River before winding back to WCU. Sponsors are the School of Health Sciences, and Campus Recreation and Wellness. Proceeds will be used to support professional development opportunities for students. The new race has its roots in WCU’s athletic training program, which has been sponsoring a 5-K on campus for five years, said Jay Scifers, former director of athletic training who is now director of the School of Health Sciences. The success of the 5-K led to the first Mountain Jug Run for Research in fall of 2008. Named after the annual football rivalry between WCU and Appalachian State University, the Run for Research sends athletic training students and faculty on a leg-powered relay spanning the 175 miles between Cullowhee and Boone to raise money for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Research and Education Foundation, which awards research grants and academic scholarships in sports medicine. The third Run for Research was held in late October, with each of the 15 runners covering 25 miles of the course in 5-mile segments, and two or three runners on the road at any given time. It was a huge accomplishment for the student runners, many of whom had never run more than a mile at a time before signing on for the challenge, Scifers said. The group trained for 10 weeks to get ready, meeting at 6 a.m. four mornings each week to complete training runs ranging from three to 12 miles. “To see the new runners complete the Run for Research and then continue running after the event and adopt a new lifestyle of wellness is very gratifying,” Scifers said. “In addition to teaching the students about the value of philanthropy, the event helps them learn about injury prevention, proper nutrition, hydration and management of environmental conditions in athletics.” The Run for Research has been so successful that WCU’s program won the NATA-REF’s Student Challenge Award the last two years for raising more money than any other athletic training program in the nation for the grant and scholarship program. Keeping with that theme of encouraging new runners to get into the sport for fitness and wellness, organizers of the Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon are putting extra emphasis on encouraging new runners to take on the challenge of running 13.1 miles for the first time, said Ashley Long, assistant professor of athletic training. ���A 12-week training program we developed is being offered free to all registered runners, and those who live in the local area have been taking advantage of organized group training runs,” she said. For more information about the Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon and the free training program, go to halfmarathon.wcu.edu. The success of an annual long-distance benefit run prompted Cullowhee’s inaugural Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon, says Jay Scifers (fourth from right), director of WCU’s School of Health Sciences. Winter 2011 | 13 14 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University You don’t have to spend much time on Western Carolina’s campus before noticing its bustling, diverse student body. Stroll through Hunter Library and you’re likely to see students of varying ages, ethnicities and races huddled around tables with coffees, books and laptops. Pop into Courtyard Dining Hall for a bite to eat and you might meet a young Muslim student from Saudi Arabia, stand in line behind a nontraditional graduate student from Raleigh, or sit across the table from an American Indian student from the Qualla Boundary. At WCU and elsewhere across the nation, the student body has become increasingly diverse, especially during the Generation Y era. Until recently, however, one group of students was not likely to be seen on college campuses – people such as Aaron Hoefs, who has a developmental disability. “I never thought I’d be sitting in class myself, but I’d always wanted to know what it was like,” said Hoefs, 26. Now he can. Thanks to WCU’s University Participant Program, backed by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Hoefs and a handful of other 20-somethings with intellectual and developmental disabilities now live, study and work part-time jobs at WCU. They’re experiencing college – much like any college freshman would – by living in residence hall, eating their meals at the dining hall, attending classes, studying for exams and making new friends. UP Program participants take up to 10 hours of classes per semester and are part of a decade-long trend to increase educational opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which can include cerebral palsy and some forms of autism. The program is part of a national movement to include students with such disabilities on college campuses, said coordinator Kelly R. Kelley ’03 MAEd ’06, whose outspokenness for the inclusion of students with developmental disabilities at WCU led to the program’s pilot project three years ago. “Our long-term plan is to make this an ongoing program at WCU and at other colleges and universities throughout the state,” said David L. Westling, UP Program director and the Adelaide Worth Daniels Distinguished Professor of Special Education. Organizations such as Think College!, which advocates postsecondary education for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, contend that until recently people with such disabilities had limited educational opportunities after high school. However, as these students had more inclusive experiences at school and in the community, they began to dream of attending college, just like their classmates, siblings and neighbors. Now young people with intellectual disabilities, with help from families and educators, are finding ways to make their college dreams a reality. The federal government also has stepped up to assist the college goals of people with intellectual disabilities. To ensure that students with these disabilities have access to a college education, Congress approved in 2008 the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which allows students with intellectual disabilities to qualify for college loans and work-study funds. Although students in the UP Program do not earn college credit, the program provides two years of customized edu-cational, social and professional programming previously unavailable to this population of students. “The program is designed to work backward based on the student’s post- UP Program independent-living and employment goals,” said Kelley. The UP Program helps students with developmental disabilities, including Elizabeth Pritchett (far left), strolling with program volunteer Shaneé Sullivan ’10, participate in all aspects of campus life. Michael Beasley (below) was the program’s first participant and now mentors new students. With support from a $2.5 million federal grant, the University Participant Program helps young people with disabilities experience college life By ashlea allen green Moving on UP Winter 2011 | 15 A Program of Inclusion Applicants to the program complete a rigorous admission process and are required to submit an undergraduate admission application, résumé and three letters of recommendation, as well as a video of themselves explaining their goals and why they’re interested in the program. Staff from the UP Program and the offices of Admission and Residential Living meet to review and rate each applicant based on how much they believe he or she will contribute to the university. “The on-campus college experiences of our participants are fully integrated and inclusive,” Kelley said. “There are no separate facilities, settings or classes. We recruit WCU students to provide a natural support system for participants who are living in residence halls, attending classes, engaging in social and recreational activities, becoming involved in student organizations, and developing friendships and relationships – in other words, the typical college experience.” Since the program’s inception, two young men have completed the program, and four participants – two women and two men – are currently involved in the program. The number of participants is expected to double during the next five years. Hoefs, whose background includes serving as Haywood County’s spokesperson for the Special Olympics, is in his first year of the program and says that his speech class has been the most difficult. “I got the hang of it after a couple of weeks with the help of Amanda England, one of the student volunteers,” he said. “But understanding the professor and getting up and doing speeches was tough in the beginning.” On the other side of the classroom podium, faculty also anticipated a few challenges in the inclusion of UP Program participants in their classrooms. Peter Savage, assistant professor in the School of Stage and Screen, had reservations last semester about whether Anna Grace Davis, an UP Program participant in his theater appreciation class, would be accepted by the other students. “I was a little worried that the other students would not be supportive of her, because I grew up in a time when students with special needs were not integrated,” said Savage. “But what I found was that the students were overwhelmingly accepting and respectful toward her. That was huge for me.” Savage said he did not adjust his teaching style for Davis. “I try to teach different learning styles – auditory, visual, kinesthetic – for all of my students,” he said. “I hoped that at least one of those styles would work for Anna.” Savage’s approach must have paid off; Davis, although shy at first, memorized her lines and performed well on stage. “When she was focused, her work was as good as anyone’s,” he said. This semester, Davis will have to memorize up to 40 lines in a class performance of a play about high school bullying. In addition to a busy course schedule, demanding assignments, and social events and activities, participants in the UP Program are placed in part-time jobs in areas in which they’re interested, where they gain not only valuable job skills but also self-confidence. “They try new things and succeed,” said Kelley. Success Stories Through the program, participants have worked on campus in offices, greenhouses and the library. Some, like Elizabeth Pritchett, have even worked off campus. Pritchett dreamed of finding employment in a day care center, but was told that her limited reading abilities precluded her from working in a setting where reading to children was a core function of the job. That’s when Kelley stepped in and convinced the center’s staff to take a chance on Pritchett. The results did not surprise Kelley. “Elizabeth did very well,��� she said. “She even took the initiative to try to implement part of a behavioral plan at the day care.” Pritchett’s impressive day care experience led to other meaningful, hands-on activities, including helping teach small groups at Cullowhee Valley School, where she assisted in planning 16 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University a unit on farming, supervised groups, and contributed to lesson plans with fellow WCU students in the class. Program graduate Michael Beasley, 25, who has worked as a consultant in the UP Program office mentoring new participants since the summer of 2010, is another success story. Beasley, who has cerebral palsy, feels his current job is a great fit for his skills and interests. “I’d like to stay in this position for at least five years or until the program runs out of money,” Beasley said. “In this economy, it sure is hard to find a job.” A Waynesville native, Beasley was the program’s first participant, from 2007 until 2009. “I have to toot my own horn,” he said. “Without me, I don’t think the program would have gotten off the ground.” Beasley said that learning how to be independent was the most important thing he gained from the program. “The first couple of nights in the dorm were scary, but I got through it,” he said. “I was surprised by how busy I was, and I was surprised by how nice everyone was.” Beasley also recalled how willing facilities management workers were to install a track system in his Norton Residence Hall room so that he could get in and out of bed. Like Beasley, Hoefs found the kindness of fellow students, faculty and staff to be the most unexpected aspect of his new life on campus. “I was most surprised by the student volunteers,” said Hoefs. “I thought that as soon as they found out that we were people with special needs, they would back out, but not one has backed out. I realized they were like my family away from home.” For more information about the UP Program or to volunteer, contact Kelly Kelley at 828.550.1990 or kkelley@wcu.edu. His mother, Connie Hoefs, was relieved to observe the meaningful friendships her son developed through the program. “I had been very nervous before he started the program, not knowing how he would be treated as a special-needs person. Some people can be so cruel,” she said. “But he’s made so many friends. It goes beyond school. Even during the breaks, they were calling, texting and Facebooking each other.” Like many college freshmen living away from home for the first time, UP Program participants experience bouts of homesickness. They also contemplate what they should do after college. Hoefs is no exception. “Everyone keeps asking me what I want to do after college, and I keep telling them it’s only my first year!” he said. Hoefs’ mother, however, has a clear idea of her hopes for her son’s future. “My dreams are that one day he can be out on his own,” she said. “As every parent with a special-needs child will tell you, I know I won’t be here forever, so I want the best for him when I’m no longer here and able to help him.” She encourages other parents with special-needs children to allow their children to take part in educational opportunities like this one. “Don’t hold your child back because of your fears,” she said. “Let them go. If they don’t learn to walk, they’ll never learn to run.” Program participants enjoy a fully integrated and inclusive college experience. UP student Corey Hambrick (opposite page, top) listens intently during class while Aaron Hoefs (bottom) enjoys a football game with UP staff member Amber Anderson. Like other UP Program students, Anna Grace Davis (top right) gains skills and confidence through part-time work. Here, she catalogs videotapes in Hunter Library with program volunteer Rebekah Norris. Winter 2011 | 17 18 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University It was just a week or two before John William Bardo, then provost at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, was scheduled to set foot on campus for his first day on the job as the 10th chancellor at Western Carolina University when Judy Dowell received an envelope postmarked “Bridgewater, Mass.” Inside the unexpected delivery was an artist’s rendering of an approaching storm, with dark clouds boiling in the heavens, ocean waves whipped into a frenzy by hurricane-force winds, and bolts of lightning zigzagging across the horizon. Written below the picture was “Bardo on the horizon.” Dowell, who served for 10 years as assistant to Chancellor Myron “Barney” Coulter and another year as assistant to Interim Chancellor Jack Wakeley before spending seven years at the right hand of Bardo, still chuckles when she harkens back to opening the mail on that day in 1995. “The picture was sent by an administrator at Bridgewater State who just thought I would enjoy seeing it. And I did. We all did,” she said. “The way I interpreted the image was, ‘You people at Western Carolina better get ready. You’re getting a ball of fire there, a real bundle of energy.’ I think we all found out pretty quickly just how true a statement that was.” Indeed. Who could have predicted the massive winds of change that have blown through the Cullowhee Valley over the nearly 16 years since Bardo was named WCU’s chief executive officer? Under Bardo’s leadership, student enrollment has grown from 6,500 to more than 9,400, and with rising enrollment came a building boom unprecedented in university history. Among the 14 new buildings or major renovations since 1995 are five residence halls, a dining hall, the Campus Recreation Center, Fine and Performing Arts Center, Center for Applied Technology, and an expansion By bill studenc mpa ’10 of A.K. Hinds University Center. The university added women’s soccer and softball programs and renovated every athletics facility on campus, including west-side stands at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. WCU in 2005 launched the Millennial Initiative, an ambitious economic development strategy designed to enable private business and industry to collaborate with WCU, doubling the size of campus with the acquisition of 344 acres where a new Health and Human Sciences Building is under construction. The university gained national recognition during Bardo’s tenure for being among the first institutions in the nation to require students to bring computers to campus and for adopting innovative tenure and promotion policies that reward faculty for scholarly activities beyond traditional teaching, research and service. Western Carolina’s Quality Enhancement Plan, which emphasizes strong connections between students’ academic and extracurricular activities, has been called a national model by higher education associations. Under Bardo’s watch, WCU created the residential Honors College, which has grown to become one of the largest in the country. Over the past 16 years, WCU has focused attention on sharply increasing admissions standards and has developed a program in undergraduate research that consistently ranks near the top in the number of student presenters at the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Bardo also made it a priority to attract top faculty members who are nationally known experts in their fields. When he first arrived, the university had no endowed distinguished professorship; today, WCU boasts 21 that are fully funded. Bardo, who on Oct. 11 announced his decision to step down as chancellor at the end of this academic year, also magazine.wcu.edu End of an Era After 16 years on the job, John Bardo prepares to step down as chancellor Winter 2011 | 19 oversaw the first comprehensive fundraising campaign in university history, which netted $51,826,915 in private giving for endowed scholarships, professorships and programmatic support. During his administration, WCU emphasized the enhancement of student life through the development of learning communities, student leadership initiatives, model Greek life programs, and strong attention to the development and welfare of the whole student. “You look at all of these things, and it has been quite a career and quite a tenure for this chancellor,” said Stephen Woody, former chair of WCU’s Board of Trustees who was chairman of the committee that guided the search for a successor to Myron Coulter after his retirement in 1994. “I like to say that our search committee would like to take full credit for John Bardo being at Western Carolina, but of course that’s not true, because many other people were involved. We all are fortunate to have had John Bardo as our chancellor, and we should thank him for his years of dedicated service.” The Formative Years Among those involved in helping shape the educational priorities that would come to define Bardo’s chancellorship was his father, whose dedication to earning a college degree as a nontraditional student made an impression on WCU’s future leader, although Bardo says he did not realize it at the time. “My father graduated by going to night school. He went for 10 years while trying to hold down a traveling job and raising a family. It was a tough run,” he said. “Watching my father struggle and realizing the implications of getting an education for him, despite a whole array of issues including an illness that almost killed him, and the way he stuck with it and got his degree, that really spoke to me. The way my mother supported him also made an impression, because without her saying, ‘Jack, you’ve got to do this,’ he probably would have stopped because it sometimes got to be way too much. I do think that colored how I view education and what I think education actually means.” Growing up in Ohio, Bardo had an early goal of becoming a professional photographer. “I loved photography, and I published a number of pictures over time,” he said. “I actually had an offer to go into an art studio, but I also was accepted into graduate school the same day I got that offer.” The art studio director agreed to hold a position for Bardo for a year. After earning his master’s degree in sociology from Ohio University in 1971, he was accepted into the doctoral program at the Ohio State University. With that, photography’s loss became higher education’s gain. “Getting into college and university administration was never anything in my youth I thought I would pursue,” Bardo said. “In fact, after I graduated from high school, my parents did not think I would ever graduate from anything ever again. For graduation, they gave me a gold Longines watch because they felt like I would go off into photography and never continue in academics.” Instead, Bardo studied economics at the University of Cincinnati, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1970. Even as an undergrad, he admits he wasn’t always a stellar student. “Because of my father’s experience, I was familiar with universities, but when I was in school, studying was never high on my list of priorities,” he said. “It wasn’t until my junior year in college that I woke up and had the big ‘aha moment.’ I changed direction almost immediately.” Bardo again credits his parents for that change of direction. “My parents always knew I wanted to travel, so I guess in desperation to get me to do something – anything – they sent me to England to study,” he said “When I got there, the whole milieu in which they were operating was so different that it absolutely struck me. They were trying to answer real, fundamental questions – how do you rebuild a society after all the major cities have been bombed out, how do you rebuild an economy so people can live, and how do you keep the environment from being totally destroyed while you are rebuilding? These were big-time questions they were worrying over in very real ways. It was not just theoretical.” Those experiences – witnessing his father struggle to earn a degree and the role of education in helping a society resurrect itself – steered Bardo’s study of economics and sociology and shaped his understanding of institutions of higher education as key players in economic development. “Higher education has moved from this interesting place 20 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University in the small community with the quirky professor with a tweedy jacket riding his bicycle to campus and saying nifty things in the classroom to where universities are now at the center of the future of society, the future of the economy and the future of this country,” he said. First Impressions Armed with an understanding of the connection between education and economic development, Bardo began a career in higher education with stints at Southwest Texas State University, Wichita State University and the University of North Florida. He became vice president for academic affairs at Bridgewater State in 1990, and took on the additional role of provost in 1993. When Coulter decided to step down as WCU chancellor in 1994 after a decade in the post, Bardo was among those interested in the position. It became evident early in the recruitment process that he was a front-runner, said Woody. “We identified four finalists and made plans to bring them to campus so that, over the course of a couple days, they could meet and talk with faculty, staff, students and other interested parties,” he said. “The first person who came to campus, because we did them alphabetically, was Dr. Bardo. And right after Dr. Bardo spoke, I had several people say to me, ‘Stephen, don’t bother bringing anybody else in. We have found the right person.’ And I said, ‘Don’t you at least want to hear what the others have to say?’ And they replied, ‘It’s not necessary. We already know who our next chancellor should be.’” (The committee, of course, did seriously consider other candidates.) Doug Reed, then director of public information, has a similar recollection about the public sessions once a part of the chancellor search process but no longer common practice. “During his presentation, John had the audience in the palm of his hand,” Reed said. “I was sitting in the back of the room, listening and taking notes, and I was struck by how completely John had captivated the audience. He spoke as one of them – as a fellow faculty member. He really knows how to speak to an academic audience.” Bardo, officially announced as WCU chancellor on St. Patrick’s Day 1995, also knows how to relate to staff, including blue-collar workers, said Roger Turk, grounds superintendent. Turk said Bardo made a perfect first impression on his workers when they arrived at the chancellor’s residence to help him move and found the new boss jamming out to music by rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. “I told the guys, ‘He’s one of us, boys,’” Turk said. In Bardo, staff members found an ally. Bardo advocated for salary increases to help lower-paid workers get closer to the state average for their positions. He created a $10,000 endowed scholarship fund in honor of wife Deborah that benefits children and grandchildren of WCU employees. He frequently attends staff picnics or other special activities to spend time with workers. “Dr. Bardo sees the importance of the blue-collar worker here at WCU, and what they bring to the tradition and function of this campus,” Turk said. “He sees there are people working here who are second, third, even fourth generations of their families with careers at WCU. He has come to understand the heritage, pride and commitment of mountain people and their culture. He has accepted those attributes in the staff and sees that as a very positive and important thing.” Raising the Bar Perhaps the defining moment of the Bardo era came on a cold, snowy day in February 1996, in what has come to be known as the “Raising the Bar” speech. In that first major address of his administration, Bardo outlined a strategy for taking WCU to a new level by improving the quality of its academic programs and increasing admission standards, and by focusing on regional economic development and the performing and visual arts. Reed, the now-retired public information director, remembers one of his first assignments for Bardo – helping draft the ‘Raise the Bar’ speech. “I was working on those From left, Bardo, wife Deborah and son Christopher at his 1995 investiture with C.D. Spangler, president of the University of North Carolina system, and Judge Mark D. Martin ’85; the Catamount softball program was established under Bardo; the Bardos with Paws; and at the 2003 opening of the Center for Applied Technology with trustee Phil Walker ’71, Congressman Charles Taylor and SGA president Heather List ’05. Winter 2011 | 21 remarks over the weekend, and I felt moved to pick up the phone and call him at the chancellor’s residence. That had never been my practice in working with chancellors,” he said. “But I couldn’t help but pick up the phone and call John Bardo as I read over the draft of his address. I was really encouraged by the fact the incoming chancellor was talking – in diplomatic but strong and forthright terms – about raising the bar and improving academic quality. I called to say, ‘Hooray!’” The rest, as they say, is history. Since 1995, the average SAT score for incoming freshmen has risen 80 points – a 5-point rise is considered statistically significant – while the average grade-point average has gone from 3.0 in 1995 to 3.5 today. The freshman retention rate has improved from 69 percent to 74 percent. For two years running, WCU has cracked the top 10 of US News and World Report’s list of leading public regional universities in the South. Innovative policies that reward faculty members for applying their scholarly activities to solve problems faced by the community beyond campus have been called “a national model,” and those policies are enabling professors to help nearby Dillsboro rebound from the economic downturn. U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, who represents the far-western counties of North Carolina in Congress, is among the fans of WCU’s adoption of “the Boyer model of scholarship,” which connects university scholarly work to the needs of society. “Dr. Bardo truly has paved the way for other colleges and universities across the nation to take a different look at their academic structure by encouraging an atmosphere that attracts faculty members who have real-life experiences in their respective disciplines and who are able to share those experiences with their students,” Shuler said. ��Students are able to get valuable career experience before they even have graduated and begun their careers, and sometimes those relationships they form while students result in employment opportunities after they graduate. That’s what we like to see.” Belle S. Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, praised Bardo for his leadership not only on his home campus but beyond. “Accreditation in the United States exists due to leaders like Dr. John Bardo, who are committed to self-regulation in higher education and understand the value and credibility it brings to academic initiatives. He knows the necessity for institutional commitment to accreditation’s concept of quality enhancement through continuous assessment and improvement and has demonstrated this through his innovative support of faculty and students at Western Carolina University, most recently through the development and implementation of WCU’s Quality Enhancement Plan,��� Wheelan said. “He is a champion of American higher education.” The Purple Party For all the development on campus over the past 16 years, it’s the university’s role in development of another kind that has won Bardo admirers for his political acumen. WCU has received nearly $20 million in federal funding during his administration, dollars that helped build and equip the Center for Applied Technology, launch electrical engineering and forensic science programs, expand regional broadband capacity, and create science and economic development partnerships with universities including Southern Cal, Stanford, Furman and Clemson. Bardo’s understanding of the role of higher education in economic development was key in obtaining federal support, said Charles Taylor, former congressman and member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It is essential to have a partner like Dr. Bardo,” Taylor said. “Although I had the responsibility in the appropriations process of getting the funds together because of the seniority I had in Congress, you have to have a program you can be proud of and someone who can be an eloquent spokesman for that program. With Dr. Bardo, I had an equal partner, someone who knew what needed to be done, who could provide the background and information we needed to make the case for funding for these programs. As a congressman, that is invaluable.” From left, Liz Goettee ’06 snaps Bardo at commencement; and Bardo accepts a 2005 contribution toward the Fine and Performing Arts Center from Michell Hicks ’87, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Tom O’Donnell of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel. 22 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University A 16-person committee with membership drawn from faculty, students, staff, alumni and administration and from the surrounding community is deep into the process of helping select Western Carolina’s next chancellor. The committee is working with Baker and Associates, an executive search firm with offices in Winston-Salem and Atlanta, to identify a successor for John W. Bardo. “We face an extraordinary opportunity in continuing the momentum this university has achieved and in extending the multitude of successes this university has enjoyed over the past 15-plus years,” said Steve Warren ’80, chair of the WCU Board of Trustees, who chairs the chancellor search committee. After poring over the backgrounds of more than three dozen candidates and interviewing several, the committee will recommend its top choices to the WCU Board of Trustees. That board will forward at least three nominees to University of North Carolina system President Tom Ross, who will present his recommendation to the UNC Board of Governors for approval. The goal is to have a new chancellor in place by July 1. “I know that the search committee and President Ross will find an excellent leader for WCU,” said Bardo. “The people of this campus have shown that they are winners and they deserve no less than a great leader. I look forward to lending him or her my complete support and cheering from the sidelines as this university continues its quest for excellence.” The Committee: Chair Steve Warren ’80 of Asheville, Board of Trustees chair and an attorney. Gerald Kiser ’69 of Columbia, S.C., Board of Trustees member and former CEO of La-Z-Boy Inc. Joan MacNeill of Webster, current trustee and past board chair, and former president of Great Smoky Mountains Railway. Virginia “Tommye” Saunooke ’96 MPA ’06 of Cherokee, WCU trustee and member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council. Teresa Williams of Huntersville, Board of Trustees member and board secretary. Charles Worley of Asheville, vice chair of WCU’s trustees and former mayor of Asheville. A.J. Grube, head of WCU’s Department of Business Administration and Law, and Sport Management. Erin McNelis, chair of WCU’s Faculty Senate and associate professor of mathematics and computer science. Bill Ogletree, head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Daniel Dorsey, president of the Student Government Association and a senior from Decatur, Ga. William Frady ’99 MAEd ’05, chair of the WCU Staff Senate and staff member in the Division of Information Technology. Carol Burton ’87 MAEd ’89, associate vice chancellor for undergraduate studies. Betty Jo Allen ’68 of Lincolnton, president of the WCU Alumni Association and a retired teacher. Kenny Messer ’86 of Greenville, S.C., past-president of the Catamount Club board of directors and an executive with Milliken Corp. Phil Walker ’71 of Hickory, former Board of Trustees chair and a senior vice president with BB&T. Scott Hamilton of Hendersonville, CEO of AdvantageWest, the regional economic development commission of Western North Carolina. search party A committee is hard at work to have WCU’s next leader in place by the summer By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 Calling himself a member of “the Purple Party,” Bardo frequently said that it does not matter to him whether an elected official is a Republican, a Democrat or a member of a third party; what matters to him is a willingness to help WCU in its efforts to support economic development in WNC. Taylor saw that mindset in action. “We never got bogged down in partisan politics or ideology. We both recognized it was not a Republican or Democrat problem or a conservative or liberal problem. It was a regional problem,” said Taylor. “Sometimes people get so focused on political affiliation or party lines that it makes it hard to move forward, but that’s not the case with John. That’s a great part of his character. He is a true example of a leader who will work with whatever political party is in power in a given year.” Shuler, the Democrat now representing the region in Congress, agreed. “Over his years as chancellor, Dr. Bardo has shown an ability to work with elected officials, regardless of anyone’s political affiliation. He has embraced the philosophy that the most important thing is what is right for our university, our community, our state and our nation. He has taken that and worked successfully for the benefit of the university and the region it serves,” Shuler said. Much of that effort has revolved around improving WCU’s relationship with the nearby Native American community of Cherokee, including the formation of a task force of university and tribal leaders dedicated to working together on projects to improve educational and economic opportunities for the Cherokee people. “The relationship between WCU and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is through the dedication of Chancellor Bardo and his willingness to work with us on many major initiatives,” said Michell Hicks ’87, principal chief of the Eastern Band. “I have the utmost respect for his willingness to work with our tribe to foster open communication.” Unfinished Business As the end of an era at WCU approaches, Bardo admits that he will be leaving some unfinished business for his successor, although, as he says, “There’s only so much one can do in a 16-year run.” Those items include an examination of the number of academic specializations the university offers; reducing the unnecessary expansion of the hours required to graduate from some programs, a phenomenon called “curriculum creep”; improvements to the graduation rate so more students can graduate within four years; and the continued evolution of the Millennial Initiative. There’s also the matter of an athletics program that has fans hoping for better days. Bardo said he understands the frustrations. “We made very significant investments in athletics during my time here, but we have not solved the issue of costs increasing faster than income,” he said. “WCU’s athletics fees are high compared to other UNC campuses, so it will be important for people who are interested in athletics to continue to increase their support. Athletics is the ‘front porch’ of the university and it will be very important for the next chancellor to be able to find ways to enhance athletic performance.” Winter 2011 | 23 Despite the handful of tasks not yet completed, Bardo will be remembered for what he has accomplished, and for a leadership style that is “visionary, bold, energetic, comprehensive and intelligent,” said Gurney Chambers ’61, who has worked for 10 of Western Carolina’s 13 presidents and chancellors. Others agree. Shuler, whose path to Congress began in nearby Swain County, said that WCU has reached new levels of excellence. “Dr. Bardo has led such an incredible transformation of Western Carolina University, from its aesthetics with all of the changes in the center of campus and addition of beautiful new buildings, to improvements in its academic quality and its curriculum. As a native of Western North Carolina, it has been phenomenal to see all that has transpired under Dr. Bardo’s leadership,” Shuler said. Jim Buchanan ’83, editorial page editor of the Asheville Citizen-Times, has written extensively about the changes he has seen as his alma mater, a place where his daughter is now a student in the Honors College. “I’ve been impressed by what has happened in Cullowhee, especially regarding the university’s more rigorous academic standards and aspirations, and of course the well-targeted growth in both infrastructure and student body,” said Buchanan. “I think it is safe to say John Bardo will be remembered as a truly transformative chancellor in the mold of Cotton Robinson. The place is simply at a whole new level from where it was upon his arrival.” Perhaps it is summed up best by Chambers, retired dean of WCU’s College of Education and Allied Professions, a man who has been a student, professor, administrator and benefactor of the university and who has spent 50 of the last 54 years either witnessing closely or participating directly in the university’s growth and development. “As we now face a change in the leadership of the university, it is appropriate to reflect on the John Bardo era and to express our appreciation for the leadership he has provided,” he said. “From my perspective, there is no other 16-year period in the history of the university that is as worthy of applause and celebration by students, faculty members, graduates, friends and community leaders as the Bardo era.” Bardo gets a boisterous reception from students at a 2010 Catamount basketball game. 24 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University pride to pasadena { january 1, 2011 } magazine.wcu.edu Band members worked and played in California, performing in the Tournament of Roses Bandfest (above) at Pasadena City College and enjoying them-selves at the landmark Santa Monica Pier (opposite). Although brief, the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band’s TV appearance in the Rose Parade on Jan. 1 was long enough to keep a promise to rock the world. As more than 1 billion people watched from 200-plus countries and territories, the band marched through Pasadena, Calif., performing “You” by California horn-band Suburban Legends, the WCU fight song and the Ozzy Osbourne hit “I Don’t Wanna Stop.” About 1 million spectators lined the streets along the 5.5-mile parade route, creating what band members described as a sea of humanity. “You could hear them yelling for us,” said Rachel Rimmer, a senior band staff coordinator from Siler City majoring in music education. “When we were allowed to take a break, our drumline was high-fiving kids, and we were talking to people in the crowd.” At one point, a WCU percussionist lent his drumsticks to a spectator, and the boy’s drumming won applause not only from the band but also from the crowd. Within days, more than 77,000 votes were cast at KTLA.com for WCU as the favorite band in the parade, and the Pride won the poll. (See related story on special section page 8.) By TERESA KILIAN TATE Hitting the High Notes 2 | Pride of the Mountains “When I would wave, as many as 70 people might wave back,” said Bob Buckner ’67, director of the band. “And even though we were 2,500 miles from Cullowhee, when we played the fight song, people chanted ‘Go Western.’ I got pretty emotional. I was just so proud about being from WCU.” A Tradition of Innovation When halftime announcer Ryan Hipps ’00 surprised everyone at E.J. Whitmire Stadium on Oct. 24, 2009, with news of the Rose Parade invitation, band members struggled to stay at attention. “The Pride of the Mountains has been selected, invited and is going to represent Western Carolina University and the great state of North Carolina in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California!” said Hipps. Based on musical talent, entertainment value, perfor-mance skill and directorship, the invitation to march in the parade was one of two extended to U.S. collegiate bands not accompanying teams to the Rose Bowl. The announcement came during the presentation to WCU of the nation’s ultimate honor for college and university bands, the Sudler Trophy, considered the “Heisman Trophy” of the marching band world. Under the direction of Buckner, Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 and Jon Henson ’05 MA ’07, the Pride had earned the nickname the “world’s largest funk-rock band.” Its high-energy marching band shows are anything but traditional, featuring electric guitars, synthesizers and vocalists. For the most recent show, “Rock U,” freshman Ezra G. Byrd played bagpipes to open Kid Rock’s song “Bawitdaba.” Later, sophomore Whitney Collins sang AC/DC’s “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” while standing on a life-sized prop shaped like the letter “U.” “It’s like a rush of energy,” said Collins. For music arranger Bill Locklear, the Pride’s instrumentation gives the music a completely different dimension, and the band’s musicianship is impressive. “Anything that I can write, it doesn’t matter how difficult it is, these kids can play,” he said. When Locklear saw the Pride perform in the fall during its fifth appearance at the Bands of America Super Regional Championship in Atlanta, he was taken by surprise. “It sounded so fresh that it took awhile for it to come back that I had written some of that,” he said. Henley said trying new things is just part of the band’s tradition. “Our tradition is innovation and we’re not slowing down,” he said. “Our foot is squarely on the gas pedal.” Stepping It Up Although the band had performed at a range of prestigious regional and national events, the Rose Parade presented more physical and logistical challenges than ever before. Physically, bandsmen had to have the endurance to perform the field show and, two days later, march nearly 6 miles. To chart their progress as they stepped up their physical activity, students wore pedometers for 10 weeks in the fall and logged more than 260 million steps. The mellophone section alone racked up an average of 108,099 footsteps per member in the 10th week, and one member, Cole Watkins, lost 65 pounds after he started running to build up his stamina. “In the parade, endurance is a big factor,” said Watkins. For sophomore trumpeter Kirby Black-welder, increasing her stretching routine in preparation was critical because of muscle weakness as a result of having mild cerebral palsy. “Last year, I was not sure I was going to make it through the entire season,” said Blackwelder. “It was much more intense than I was used to in high school, but the challenge made every football game and every performance more special.” The band even practiced marching the length of the parade on a closed stretch of Highway 107 near campus on a Sunday afternoon in December. Logistically, the trip required flying band members to California and transporting luggage, instruments and equipment across the country in addition to handling lodging, meals and busing in and around the congested Los Angeles area. To raise money for the nearly $640,000 trip, students “passed the hat” at home football games; sold golf shirts, T-shirts, lapel pins, wristbands and other items; and solicited contributions from friends and family members. The band also raised money by offering donors at the level of $1,000 or more the opportunity to direct a performance or receive a photo of the band forming the donor’s name on the field. In two hours on Dec. 17, in near-freezing temperatures, the band spelled and photographed the names of 24 major sponsors whose gifts totaled about Rose Parade 2011 | 3 $60,000. (See the video at magazine.wcu. edu.) Among the sponsors were businesses such as AT&T, which was the largest private contributor, and supporters, fans and alumni such as Pat Blanton Kaemmerling ’71 and husband David Kaemmerling, who said they recognized the band’s hard work and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the trip offered students. “This type of experience can open a student’s mind to new horizons and can be a turning point in a student’s life,” she said. Others such as Jimmy Crocker donated their time and talents. Crocker, a band parent as well as the son of one of Buckner’s high school band directors, volunteered and recruited other volunteers to drive three trucks of the band’s equipment, luggage and instruments across the country and back – a move that saved an estimated $40,000 in baggage fees. Their journey began earlier than planned when snow blanketed Western North Carolina, and drivers spent Christmas Day morning putting chains on the tires and coordinating with snowplows to move the trucks for what would be a slow, snowy start the following morning to their three-day journey west. “We couldn’t even get to the trucks when we first got there,” said Crocker. For the Love of Marching Band Jeff Throop, Tournament of Roses president, predicted during a September visit to WCU that the Pride was going to “blow everybody away” at the event’s Bandfest. Indeed, on Dec. 30, the Pride’s performance of “Rock U” received a standing ovation as well as high praise from strangers-become-friends – the family and former band director of the late Ryan Dallas Cook. WCU’s band directors never met Cook, who was a 23-year-old trombone player in the high-energy California ska band Suburban Legends when he died in a 2005 traffic accident. They had only heard about him and how Suburban Legends held a concert in his honor to benefit Cook’s high school marching band because of how much marching band had contributed to Cook’s love of music. Moved, WCU directors sought and received permission to perform a song Cook co-wrote in the Rose Parade. “We were excited to get to play ‘You’ in Dallas’ memory and send the message of a love for marching band from coast to coast,” said Henley. They also reached out to build a friendship with Suburban Legends, Cook’s high school marching band director and his family, and invited them to Bandfest. After all, the parade’s theme for 2011 was “Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories.” After the show, the band presented the Cooks with a WCU clock, and Cook’s father, Carlton, said his son would have loved seeing the Pride perform. “It was so moving and very powerful,” said Cook. “It was really nice they were last, because no band would want to follow that. When they came on – the mere size – they blew everybody away with just the intensity of the music and how well the sound came out. It’s hard to get good sound when you are moving around. They just did it so wonderfully.” Two days later, the sight of so many people at the parade, especially as the band turned the sharp, 110-degree turn onto Colorado Boulevard, was incredible, members said. Whitney Hinceman, a senior piccolo player from Mooresville, described the excitement and the interaction – how parade-goers would run out to take pictures with the band or kids would warn them not to step in horse droppings. Every member of the Pride who started the Rose Parade finished, still fired up, said Buckner. Betty Allen ’68, president of the WCU Alumni Association, said the Pride’s performance in the parade exceeded her high expectations. “I was just in awe,” said Allen, who later joined friends, alumni and family lining the hallway at the band’s hotel to greet members with a welcome worthy of champions. Richard Huffman, a senior trombone player from Hickory, described the entire experience as an amazing way to finish his marching band career. “It’s been really emotional, seeing everyone clapping when we got back,” said Huffman. “We’re always going to be able to say ‘I was in the Rose Parade. I remember that corner. I remember seeing those people.’ I will always have that.” The day before visiting Santa Monica (above left, top and bottom), band members spotted a big green celebrity in Hollywood. 4 | Pride of the Mountains Wet to the bone, Hayesville resident Phil Honsinger climbed to the top of the west-side stands of E.J. Whitmire Stadium after a rainy, windy football game to record the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band’s last show in 2006. “I was shaking as I filmed,” said Honsinger, who felt the real blow later when someone else was introduced as the band’s “No. 1 fan.” “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I’m the No. 1 fan.’ After all, this was my 68th consecutive videotaping of the Pride of the Mountains,” he said. Honsinger first saw the Pride perform in 1996 at his son’s high school band competition. “You would have thought Hayesville’s band had just won the Super Bowl the way they reacted when the horns from the Pride of the Mountains let it rip,” said Honsinger. “Man, what a show.” When daughter Lauren Honsinger ’07 joined the Pride, his fandom escalated into an obsession that continues today, he said. He made a point to attend shows – big or small, planned or last-minute, near or far. Honsinger went to exhibitions in Indianapolis, as well as to Pride performances at high schools throughout the region. At a special weeknight performance planned NO.1 By TERESA KILIAN TATE Phil Honsinger, with daughter Lauren Honsinger ’07 in Los Angeles, calls the band’s Rose Parade performance ‘the time of my life.’ Photo courtesy of Jimmy Honsinger for a few dozen guests from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors in 2008, assistant director Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 walked in the dark, mostly empty stadium to prepare when he was surprised by a shadowy figure. “It scared me, and I stopped in my tracks,” said Henley. “Then I heard Phil say, ‘Hey Matt.’ I just laughed out loud. I said, ‘You really are the No. 1 fan.’ It’s extremely cool to have people like Phil who are so dedicated to the band.” A dedicated Honsinger traveled to Califor-nia with family for the Tournament of Roses Bandfest – a show he worried he might miss because of a bus breakdown. He calmly told tour company officials that he was the Pride’s No. 1 fan (although he admits there are other obsessed Pride fans, too.) “I asked them, ‘Do you know how one gets to be the No. 1 fan?’ They just looked at me with blank faces. I told them about the 137 consecutive marching band shows and about how today was going to be the 138th show. I asked them if the bus would be coming in time to keep the string going. I said, ‘I know there will come a time when I will not make it to watch the Pride of the Mountains shows. I know there will be a time when my string will end.’” The tour company manager replied, “Not on my watch will you miss a show,” said Honsinger, who made it to Bandfest in time. Two days later, he faced a 3 a.m. wake-up call, packed crowds and scarce bathrooms to get to the stands at the Rose Parade. The cheering for the Pride had never been louder, and the group had never looked quite as bold as they did that day, he said. “The gold was gleaming in the sunlight and their instruments were polished to a sparkling shine,” said Honsinger. “When our band marched by, it was such a climax to the season, and it was over far too quickly. It was the time of my life.” fan Band supporter keeps string alive with California performances Rose Parade 2011 | 5 Summer music camp at Western Carolina in the 1960s captivated a high school-aged Bob Buckner ’67, confirming his belief that his decision to play football instead of joining the band in seventh grade was a huge mistake. Fortunately, for the thousands of students who would someday march under Buckner’s direction, and for the band that has achieved national prestige under his leadership, he remedied the situation at the first opportunity. “They needed someone big enough to carry the bass drum in the Canton Labor Day Parade, and my friends drafted me,” said Buckner, a native of Waynesville. “By the time I was in 10th grade, I loved the sounds I was hearing when I walked in the band room. I loved the atmosphere and the people.” When Buckner enrolled at Western Carolina, he was intent on becoming a band director. Classmates and friends such as John Anderson ’67 MAEd ’71, who played in jazz band and marching band with Buckner, had no doubt that he would – and that he would succeed. As a musician, Buckner had the skill to “triple-tongue” a tuba, Anderson said. As a student, Buckner asked in-depth After success at the Tournament of Roses, WCU’s longtime band director surveys his career By TERESA KILIAN TATE PARADE REST questions about even the smallest markings in the music. As a friend, he was fun and serious – the kind not only to joke around but also to have long conversations about life. Even before graduation, Buckner landed his first job as a band director when he was asked to fill in temporarily at Sylva-Webster High School. He had 12 students on the first day, and three dropped out after Buckner shared his vision for the group – a vision that one student told him seemed a lot like work. For Catherine Dillard ’87, one of his first students, it was work but also a life-defining experience, she said. When Dillard graduated, the band had grown to about 50 members. Marching band styles were changing, and Buckner introduced a less traditional, more artistic style to the group. Six years after he took the helm, the band claimed honors in a Festival of States competition. Seven years after that, it became the smallest group to be named the nation’s best at a Bands of America competition. Buckner left Sylva-Webster to work full time at his band design and consulting firm, United Music Enterprises. He worked across magazine.wcu.edu 6 | Pride of the Mountains the nation and in Canada and Europe as a drill designer, guest conductor or clinician. Clients ranged from the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps to the Walt Disney Co. He served the Bands of America organization – judging competitions, helping develop national events and competition formats, and serving as symposium faculty and member of a range of committees. “Bob’s fingerprints are all over Bands of America,” said Scott McCormick from BOA in recognizing Buckner in 2005 during his induction to the organization’s Hall of Fame. In 1991, WCU offered him a job directing the marching band, but Buckner had already committed to a job at East Tennessee State University. He thought he would have to say no, but as he and wife Donna examined practice and performance times, they realized that the ETSU and WCU schedules did not overlap. So Buckner, a father of five, directed both – maintaining a hectic working and commuting schedule, one not necessarily unwelcome as he coped with the grief of losing son Michael to a fatal heart attack. Among Buckner’s goals was to build on the family atmosphere he had come to love as a member of Western Carolina’s band in the 1960s, and that’s what it’s like today, said Billie Jeanne Curns, a senior music education major from Hayesville. “He knows people in band by first name, which is huge because there are 400 of us,” said Curns, part of a student leadership program so strong Buckner occasionally jokes he’s not sure the group needs directors. “No matter how hard a practice is, we know he’s there for us. He has an open-door policy, and students come in just to talk to him.” Another goal was to transform the band into a sophisticated rock ’n’ roll group. “My idea was to develop a band that everyone is going to relate to in some way – with a lot of movement, choreography and really good arrangements of music people will recognize,” said Buckner. The group incorporated nontraditional marching band elements, such as electric guitars and vocalists, and earned a reputation as “the world’s largest funk-rock band.” Membership grew in two decades from fewer than 90 members to more than 400, thanks to tremendous support from fans such as Chancellor John W. Bardo. The chancellor, who was instrumental in changing the group’s name from the Marching Cats to the Pride of the Mountains, would conclude his band pep talks by asking, “What band is this?,” prompting the response “The best damn band anywhere!” “And don’t you forget it!” Bardo would say. Prior to the 2011 Rose Parade, the band had performed five times at Bands of America regional championships at the Georgia Dome and three times at BOA Grand Nationals in Indianapolis. It has played at halftime at an Atlanta Falcons game and its drumline took the stage with country music’s Keith Urban. In 2009, the band received the Sudler Trophy, which the Sousa Foundation says it awards to “collegiate marching bands of particular excellence that have made outstanding contributions to the American way of life.” Meanwhile for Buckner, MENC: The National Association for Music Education in 2005 honored him as a Lowell Mason Fellow, and Drum Corps International and MENC in 2009 presented him with the Excellence in Marching Music Education Award. With retirement in July, Buckner is looking forward to devoting more time to other interests, particularly his six grandchildren (although some of them are sad this is the last year “Bobbo” will have his own band). For Buckner, the sense of so many “lasts” – the last football game, the last rehearsal, the last field show, the last performance – did not sink in until the Rose Parade. “I remember looking at the memorial flag we carried in the parade and being so glad we had done that – that we carried the memory of those students with us,” said Buckner of the band’s purple-and-white flag with one star each for the five students who have died while members of the band. “I remember From left, Bob Buckner ’67 and band member Lizzie Morantz ’10, who came to WCU from Illinois to work with Buckner, share a laugh during a 2008 band rehearsal; Buckner takes the stand during a Catamount football halftime show; and Buckner celebrates the band’s 2009 Sudler Trophy with assistant band directors Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 and Jon Henson ’05 MA ’07. Just a couple of softies, Buckner and Paws (opposite page) share a cuddle. looking across the street and seeing Donna walking on the other side, and thinking how special it was that we got to share that and how much she has contributed to the band, much that only members of our staff and color guard would ever know. (Assistant band directors) Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 and Jon Henson ’05 MA ’07 and I tried to keep eye contact through the parade, and I remember thinking how incredible it was that we had such a great team of people who care like I do, who really have invested themselves in the university and in the students. I remember thinking about my high school directors and my college band director and thinking how cool they would have thought this was, and how they had contributed to my life.” At the band banquet just hours after the parade, students shared how Buckner had contributed to theirs. Keith Marwitz, a senior tenor saxophone player from Indian Trail, remembered his talk with Buckner after showing up late. “I have never been late again,” Marwitz said. Drum major Amy Shuford from Waynesville recalled how she was rehearsing years before she came to WCU when Buckner approached and said he wanted her in his band. “I just want to let you know I still have your business card in my wallet,” said Shuford. Band alumna Kate Murphy ’06, who works at WCU and instructs the color guard, read a letter she wrote to Buckner in which she said the band makes her heart explode with purple and gold. “You make nonband people fall in love with us,” said Murphy. Rose Parade 2011 | 7 The Tournament of Roses Parade crowds dispersed and traffic resumed on Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard shortly before noon New Year’s Day. Spirited marching along the parade route was over, but a virtual battle of the bands was about to begin online. Within the hour, television station KTLA of Los Angeles was inviting visitors to its website to choose their favorite Rose Parade band from the roster of 23 units from across the nation that had performed. Anyone with Internet access and a computer, cell phone or other digital device could click and cast a vote. KTLA hosted online voting for best float in previous years, but this was the first favorite band competition. “We wanted to create something fun for the bands, especially because the floats usually grab most of the attention,” said Jeremy D. Horowitz, senior producer for digital media at KTLA-TV. The poll’s popularity far exceeded expecta-tions of the station, which kept it open for three days and received a total of 178,721 votes. WCU’s Pride of the Mountains claimed an early lead – and 40 percent of the total votes – despite gains by All-Birdsville ISD Marching Band of Haltom, Texas, in Social media helps Pride of Mountains claim ‘best band�� title By CHRISTY MARTIN ’71 MA ’78 Viewer’s Choice Original photo courtesy of Jolesch Photography the suspenseful final hours before the poll was closed and WCU’s band declared best in the parade. “WCU had more than 72,000 votes. That’s more than the total votes cast in any of our previous float polls. I know Texas boasts about making things big, but clearly some things in Cullowhee are even bigger,” said Horowitz. Moments after the poll opened, WCU’s public relations staff members posted links to KTLA’s poll on social media websites, including Facebook and Twitter, and roseparade.wcu.edu, a university Web page created to host band updates and news. They also alerted regional news media, including the Asheville Citizen- Times, Smoky Mountain News and WLOS-TV in Asheville, which in turn posted links on their own websites taking visitors directly to the voting site, with reporters sharing the links through their own Facebook and Twitter accounts. Statistics aren��t available on where the votes actually came from, but there’s no doubt that the massive show of support for WCU’s band came about because of online conversations back home in North Carolina while the poll was under way in California. Networks of friends and friends of those friends adroitly used Facebook and Twitter to get out the vote. Sarah Kucharski of Canton, who grew up in Cullowhee and has close ties to WCU, was among the fans who monitored the poll closely, crafting Facebook posts and Twitter tweets to encourage potential voters. “Ultimately, our band won because enough people cared and wanted to make this happen for its members,” Kucharski said. “That’s the sweetest victory of all.” WCU’s online social networks Become a fan at www.facebook.com/westerncarolinauniversity. If you attended WCU and want to find out about reunions and other events for alumni, go to www.facebook.com/wcualumni. Other WCU sites are www.twitter.com/wcu and www.youtube.com/westerncarolinau. 8 | Pride of the Mountains magazine.wcu.edu Music faculty members say farewell to an old friend in a bid to become an ‘All-Steinway School.’ An old friend of the School of Music is retiring after decades of service to the university community. This time, we’re not talking about Robert Holquist, the longtime director of choral activities stepping down from behind the podium this year, or Bob Buckner ’67, who is hanging up his marching shoes after leading the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band to the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade. (See related story on special section page 6.) The retiree in question is an older Steinway model that has been providing musical accompaniment for music faculty, student and ensemble recitals for the past 34 years. Taking its place on stage is a recently obtained instrument made by acclaimed manufacturer Steinway & Sons, widely regarded for crafting the finest pianos in the world. The 9-foot “D” concert grand piano is the first new piano of any kind for the School of Music in more than 23 years, said P. Bradley Ulrich, professor of music. “We are hoping this will be the first of many new pianos in the School of Music as we hope to someday become the first ‘All-Steinway School’ in the University of North Carolina system. This would truly be a mark of distinction,” said Ulrich. As the name implies, institutions are designated as All-Steinway Schools for using only pianos designed by Steinway & Sons, from the practice room to the recital hall. THE IVORIES TOWER The latest addition to the School of Music goes by the name of ‘Steinway’ By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 The designation would entail replacing approximately 50 pianos with Steinway or models from the Steinway line. The piano was scheduled to give its concert debut performance this winter in a concert titled “Steinway Our Way,” featuring a variety of musical styles with WCU faculty pianists. Proceeds from ticket sales from the concert and contributions from friends of the School of Music go toward the newly established Steinway Piano Fund. The fund is designed help the School of Music in its goal of becoming an All-Steinway School, said Robert Kehrberg, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts. “Our faculty and students provide more than 250 cultural events annually through concerts, master classes and engagement activities within the communities they serve, and they deserve the finest instrument available,” Kehrberg said. “The faculty have international professional credentials and work as performing artists within the region, across the state and nationally. They are the finest musicians I have ever worked with.” To learn how to contribute to the Steinway Piano Fund, contact Meg White, director of development, at 828.227.3343 or mawhite@wcu.edu. Winter 2011 | 25 Bobby Moranda’s mantra nowadays is a combination of Larry the Cable Guy’s “git-r-done” and the Lowe’s home improvement company’s “let’s build something together.” Moranda, preparing for his fourth season as Western Carolina’s head baseball coach, is directing a massive renovation of Childress Field/Hennon Stadium worthy of an episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home (Plate) Edition.” “The renovation project is critical to the future success of our proud baseball program,” Moranda said. “The appearance and functionality of the playing field and stadium are what recruits want to see first and use to gauge a program. It can be a source of pride for players, fans and the community.” Although WCU’s baseball facilities once were the envy of the Southern Conference, opposing programs have upgraded with modern, attractive places to play, he said. “When we have brought prospects on campus in the past, we would take them to the new dining hall, Campus Recreation Center, Hinds University Center and the new residence halls – which all are gorgeous – and then the last stop would be the baseball stadium, which did not make the same type of impression as the remainder of our campus,” he said. Moranda and his wife of 17 years, Pamela, started the renovation project when they awoke on July 10 and agreed that “something has to be done about the baseball facility.” Later that day, they began working in the dugouts, ripping out the rotting, molding carpet and adding fresh paint. Since then, the project has taken off with involvement from the corporate level to individuals who have contributed finances, materials, and time and talent, said Chip Smith, director of athletics. “Coach Moranda has done a superb job in jump-starting these much-needed improvements to our baseball facility,” said Smith. “We appreciate the financial support and leadership roles of the many people who helped make this renovation project a reality.” the power of purple one goal field day Bobby Moranda mounts a major renovation of WCU’s baseball facilities, with a little help from his friends By steve white ’67 magazine.wcu.edu 26 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Following the dugouts upgrade, the entire stadium was painted to make the old block work resemble red brick and trimmed with ivy green paint that matches the new roofing throughout the stadium. Next was new lower-level seating, as the stadium was moved 14 feet closer to home plate to accommodate two rows of new chair-back seats. A 36-inch wall now extends between the dugouts in front of new Yankee Stadium-style slatted seats. Major League-style chair-back seats will replace old chairs in the grandstand, and the metal bleachers will be covered with molded plastic seating. In addition, a new Major League-quality backstop net stretches 156 feet in front of the grandstand seating, and the rusted grandstand roof has been replaced. The concession stand and rest rooms have been repainted and roofed in the red brick and ivy green color scheme, and the batting cage roof has been replaced. Dugout benches have been replaced, new protective netting installed, and new bins built for storage. A 48-inch brick wall will stretch from each dugout to the outfield fence down the left- and right-field lines. A “batter’s eye” has been attached to the center-field fence and the “Purple Monster” in left field has been repainted. Moranda also has several other projects either under way, in the planning stages or on his radar. They include a courtyard behind the third-base seats that will feature a sitting wall, pavers, planters, outdoor grill and extensive landscaping; refencing of the entire facility; a brick wall around the present batting facility; a new pitcher training area; a wrought iron and red brick entrance; and an earth berm viewing area outside the right-field fence for WCU students. In addition, the chair back seats removed from the grandstand area will be repainted ivy green and placed along the right-field line. The history of WCU baseball will be depicted with a series of large mural-type posters that will adorn the grandstand entrance areas. On the wish list is a clubhouse that will house a locker room, offices, player lounge, legacy room, weight room and video room. “There are so many who had a hand in this project by stepping up to the plate with their expertise, donation of materials, labor, cooperation and financial backing,” said Moranda, who singled out Dave Steed ’73, retired Lowe’s Inc. senior vice president for general merchandising, as a key player. “He was behind the donation of a staggering amount of building material and supplies, and got numerous vendors to supply everything from paint to bricks to roofing. I got to know everyone at the Sylva and Franklin Lowe’s stores on a first-name basis.” The renovation project would not be possible without the contributions of many businesses and individuals, including assistant coaches, players, benefactors, WCU staff and members of the 1002 Club, the boosters organization formed to help the Catamount baseball team reach the College World Series, played 1,002 miles from Cullowhee in Omaha, Neb. “We don’t have to have the biggest facility, but we want a first-class facility that everyone involved with WCU and its baseball program can be proud of,” Moranda said. “I think we are on our way to achieving that goal.” Coach Bobby Moranda and wife Pamela (opposite), in upgraded stands, initiated the stadium renovation. Above, clockwise from top left, Moranda and Mackie McKay, a contractor who helped with the project; the stadium before and after 200 gallons of brick red and ivy green paint; upgrades to the batting cage; building a wall down the first baseline; laying a walkway behind the stadium; and ticket office roofing that matches the color scheme of other new buildings on campus. Winter 2011 | 27 pals for the long run An enduring friendship is the impetus behind a new endowed scholarship fund for WCU’s track and cross country programs By randall holcombe the power of purple one goal The late Terry Helms ’73 was Western Carolina’s first big running star. A native of Kannapolis, Helms ran track and cross country in Cullowhee from 1968 through 1972. “Terry was the superstar on our first cross-country team in 1968,” said university sports historian Steve White ’67. “In that first season, he won nine of the 11 meets the team entered, set five course records and led the Catamounts to a 25th-place finish in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championship meet. He single-handedly put WCU on the national cross-country map.” Helms continued his running rampage over the next three seasons. In 1969, he won five meets, set three course records, led WCU to the NAIA District 6 championship and finished sixth in the national championship meet, becoming the Catamounts’ first All-American in cross country. Another District 6 championship followed in 1970, with the Catamounts finishing 15th in the national championship meet, and the team recorded a 13th-place national finish the following year. On the track and field side, Helms won 15 individual championships in four seasons and helped lead the Catamounts to three district championships, White said. An education major, Helms went on to a 32-year teaching career, including 26 years at Ledford Middle School in Thomasville. He retired in 2007 and died in 2008 after contracting mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Now, to honor Helms’ impact on WCU’s track and cross country programs and their longtime friendship, a former teammate and roommate from Helms’ years at WCU, Gaither Keener ’72, and his wife, Beverly Keener, have created an endowed scholarship fund that will benefit WCU athletes for perpetuity. Gaither Keener ’72 (above, second from right) and his wife have created an endowed scholarship in memory of the late Terry Helms ’73, a WCU track and cross country standout (opposite page). With Keener are (from left) Brian Frerking, WCU associate athletic director; Olivia Jacobs, the scholarship’s first recipient; and coach Danny Williamson ’84 MAEd ’86. 28 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Danny Williamson ’84 MAEd ’86 has an undeniable knack for influencing young people, as evidenced by the 18 Southern Conference track and field championship trophies his teams have hoisted in his 25 years as Western Carolina University’s most successful head coach. Add making friends in high places to his list of talents, as Williamson has piqued the interest of one of the nation’s most benevolent track and field fans and a top supporter of higher education in North Carolina. Irwin “Ike” Belk and the Belk Foundation recently issued Williamson and WCU’s track and field program a check in the amount of $100,000. Williamson has written Belk (inset, receiving an honorary doctorate from WCU in 1999) for several years to thank him for his support of track and field in North Carolina, and would occasionally include WCU apparel. “Last summer, I asked about the possibility of financial support and he responded with a wonderful gift,” Williamson said. “Mr. Belk’s generosity will allow us to continue to grow our scholarship program, purchase new equipment and generally enhance our program in many areas.” Belk, retired president of the Belk Inc. retail chain, former member of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and a former member of North Carolina’s Senate and House, has donated millions to colleges and universities in the Carolinas. Belk’s latest is the fourth substantial gift to WCU. The Carol Grotnes Belk Building was named to honor his wife, followed by the establishment of the $1 million Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professorship in Commercial and Electronic Media. Another gift commissioned the Catamount sculpture that sits at the main entrance of the campus. Belk’s affection for track and field led him to assist with the building of more than 100 track and field facilities around the nation. He also has donated millions to the United States Olympic Committee and has served on that governing board. on track Irwin Belk makes a contribution to WCU’s athletics program By steve white ’67 The Terry M. Helms Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide scholarship support for one WCU track or cross country distance runner each year. The first scholarship from the fund was presented in the fall to Olivia Jacobs, who hails from Helms’ hometown of Kannapolis. Reflecting on his 40-year friendship with Helms, Keener recalls more than just Helms’ athletic exploits. Although Keener and Helms had competed against each other as high school track athletes, their friendship blossomed in 1968, when they found themselves living on the same wing of Moore Hall. “Terry was a good Christian person with a passion for running, dancing and Motown music,” Keener said. “He always had a smile on his face, and girls loved to flock around him. Everybody loved Terry.” Keener and Helms became roommates at WCU, and in the following decades their friendship continued as Keener earned a law degree and began his career as an attorney. Keener now works as the top attorney for Lowe’s, the home improvement giant based out of Mooresville. “Terry took me to my first NASCAR race and taught me to play golf. He was in my wedding, and I was an usher when he married his wife, Janice (Helms.) Through the years, he always was an upbeat person, even throughout the illness that ended his life,” Keener said. WCU track and cross country coach Danny Williamson ’84 MAEd ’86 said the endowed scholarship fund established by the Keeners is the program’s second. “This will be a tremendous asset for our program, and it will allow us on a yearly basis to pay tribute to one of the best who ever competed for WCU,” Williamson said. Winter 2011 | 29 The unsung heroes on the sidelines and in the press box are some of WCU’s biggest fans By christy martin ’71 ma ’78 labor of love Working on the sidelines at Western Carolina University’s athletic events are a resort manager, media company president, community college instructor, elementary schoolteacher, outdoor advertising executive and retired school system administrator, to name a few. Ranging in age from barely 30-something to well into their 50s, they converge on Cullowhee for game days from a variety of towns west of Asheville. A tight-knit group with a shared love of Catamount athletics, they are among WCU’s most vocal fans. They are the ones at the microphones, making the announcements carried from high overhead at the football stadium and courtside in the basketball arena. Listeners who tune in to games aired on radio stations in the mountain region and upstate South Carolina and online via the Catamount Sports Network at www.catamountsports.com know them, too. Announcers, broadcasters, color commentators and sidelines reporters, they’re the unsung heroes of the games. Long before the players, coaches and spectators arrive, sideline workers are already in the press box busy with preparations, from practicing the pronunciation of players’ names to writing scripts for the public-address system to testing microphones and video equipment. There are dozens of chores, and they are tireless workers, devoting hundreds of hours to temporary jobs that most say they’ll never give up, not for the nominal wage they earn from the athletics department, but for the chance to be close to the action. “The majority of us just love WCU and what the athletics program has done for young people,” said Steven Crumpler of Penrose, assistant innkeeper of the Swag Country Inn of Waynesville. “Sometimes it’s athletic ability that has made it possible for a player to attend college. And they come here, excel in their sport and go on to greater things.” Crumpler works as play-by-play announcer for women’s basketball and is a producer and engineer for football broadcasts. He became involved with athletics 10 years ago as a program director on the campus radio station WWCU-FM. “When I first stepped on campus, WCU became my team forever,” he said. “I don’t cheer for anybody else.” Ryan Hipps ’00 of Waynesville and Greg McLamb ’00 of Franklin also worked as students together doing sports broadcasting at WWCU. Their athletics ties have only grown stronger through the years. Hipps, who is president of Stress Free Productions of Waynesville, has been a public-address announcer for multiple sports. He also produces many video projects for athletics, including women’s basketball videos, a coaches’ TV show, “signing day” video coverage, and segments for the new PurpleVision video scoreboard in the football stadium. the power of purple one goal magazine.wcu.edu 30 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University McLamb, history instructor at Haywood Community College in Clyde, is the intrepid sidelines reporter, always ready with a microphone to give updates when there are player injuries or halftime interviews with coaches. “You see up close the sweat, tears, and the blood – literally – that the players are giving in the game. Working on the sidelines has given me great appreciation for them, for sports and for Western Carolina,” he said. In the past 20 years, Phil Woody ’75, language-arts teacher at Scotts Creek Elementary School in Sylva, has covered 590 basketball games and 64 football games in an assortment of roles that have ranged from doing the football drive-chart records in the 1980s before computers were available, to public-address announcing for football and men’s basketball, spotting, radio broadcasting and, currently, managing the scoreboard clock for basketball. “It gets really hectic on the sidelines sometimes, but we help each other out,” Woody said. “Our jobs are a lot of fun, and every one of them is important.” Woody is a former radio announcer who in the past worked with Gary Ayers at WBHN Radio in Bryson City. Ayers, president of Allison Outdoor Advertising of Sylva, is known as “The Voice of the Catamounts.” He has been doing radio broadcasts and public-address announcing for WCU for more than a quarter century. Tim Amos ’77 MBA ’82 and Britt Amos ’06, are a father-and- son team from Asheville whose work was instrumental in the premiere last fall of the video scoreboard. The elder Amos, retired assistant superintendent of Asheville City Schools, is a longtime audio and video hobbyist who worked as a radio announcer for WCU athletics in the late 1990s. “I’ve been a supporter of Western Carolina forever, and I always hope for success for the teams,” he said. “I just enjoy going to the games and working with the great people over there.” Daniel Hooker ’01, assistant athletics director for media relations, said the sidelines workers are one of the department’s greatest assets. “I’m continually amazed at the contributions made by so many. They love the university and enjoy giving back in any way they can. There is no question that without their dedicated service, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish all that we do.” Hooker’s predecessor agrees. “They’re WCU’s greatest fans,” said Steve White ’67, retired director of sports information. “It’s in their blood.” Clyde Simmons ’96 is on the short list of Western Carolina’s greatest football players. Following a college career in which he led the Catamounts to their only appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) title game in 1983, Simmons (right, making a tackle for the Cats) went on to a 15-year NFL career, compiling 1211/2 sacks as a defensive end while playing with Philadelphia, Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati and Jacksonville. He returned in the mid-1990s to earn his degree (left, at commencement with Chancellor John Bardo) and eventually retired from the NFL in 2000. He worked for a mortgage company and was a probation officer, content to be away from football. But last year he got the itch to return and applied for one of the NFL’s minority coaching fellowships. He wound up with the New York Jets because their coach, Buddy Ryan, was familiar with Simmons. “He’s an expert. He’s a guy that clearly the players would look up to and they’d respect,” Ryan recently told the New York Times. “I had him in Arizona, and he was a leader back then for me when I was coaching defensive line. I thought he’d bring that to us, and he has. He’s been outstanding.” Simmons, 46, works with the Jets’ defensive linemen and has been credited with helping them become better pass rushers. “I’ve learned a lot of things just from the little time I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s been a great working atmosphere. These guys come to work every day. I’ve been in places where the coaches don’t get along, and it boils over to the players.” Dennis Thurman, the Jets’ secondary coach, believes Simmons has a future in coaching. “They know you from when you played, but they don’t know your skill set as a coach,” Thurman said of the merits of the fellowship. “You’re a name, but you’re not someone that coaches have had the opportunity to work with. But he does have a measure of respect. They know who he is. If you do not know who he is, then you’re not a real football fan.” Steve White ’67, former sports information director for Western Carolina, is thrilled Simmons is back in the NFL, and that Simmons has been good to his alma mater. “He bought a complete set of uniforms (solid purple) for the team in the mid-90s,” White said. “He also contributed significantly to several special projects and a scholarship fund.” Simmons said in the New York Times story he will stay as long as the Jets will have him. Four NFL head coaches are graduates of the minority fellowship: Marvin Lewis of Cincinnati, Raheem Morris of Tampa Bay, Lovie Smith of Chicago and Mike Tomlin of Pittsburgh. “It’s a great way of getting on-the-job training,” Simmons said. “It builds your résumé. But I’m also enjoying what I’m doing.” Used in edited format with permission of the Asheville Citizen-Times. running the option A former Catamount standout gets his foot in the NFL coaching door through a minority fellowship program By bob berghaus Clockwise from bottom left, Britt Amos ’06 and his father, Tim Amos ’77 MBA ’82, helped premiere the video scoreboard; Steven Crumpler works for women’s basketball and football; Greg McLamb ’00 is a sideline reporter; and Ryan Hipps ’00 produces videos and works the PA for multiple teams. Winter 2011 | 31 alumni Achievements The university has profited from CFO Chuck Wooten’s three decades of service By jill ingram ma ’08 long-term investor 32 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University When Joe Carter, WCU’s longtime chief financial officer, announced his retirement in 2000, Chancellor John Bardo had a clear understanding of what he wanted in the university’s next vice chancellor for administration and finance. “I was absolutely committed to doing a national search, and I was 99 percent sure we would never hire anyone from inside Western Carolina to be the next finance officer, because we needed to really think differently about how we did finance,” Bardo said recently. After a national search, the last man standing was George W. “Chuck” Wooten ’73, not only an alumnus but a WCU employee who for two decades had steadily worked his way up on the business side, and who, in Bardo’s words, “blew everybody else in the pool away.” Wooten, associate vice chancellor at the time, remembers thinking, “Well, I’ve already got 20 years of experience. Why not give me the chance to move up?” But Wooten, whose “positive mental attitude” credo – PMA for short – is well-known among employees, characteristically found a way to appreciate the employment exercise: “In hindsight, it was confirmation that my experience was as good as what the other people were bringing to the table. It validated my being the person who was selected.” Wooten retired Jan. 1 after a decade of unparalleled growth at WCU, accompanied by a rise in applications, enrollment and quality of education. During Wooten’s time as vice chancellor, fueled by millions in state bond money and locally approved debt, WCU doubled the size of its campus with the purchase of 344 acres as part of the Millennial Initiative; built the Fine and Performing Arts Center, Campus Recreation Center, Courtyard Dining Hall and five residence halls; and made improvements to every athletic facility on campus. So rapid was the development that Bardo, speaking at an October ceremony to honor Wooten with the university’s Distinguished Service Award, recalled returning from a two-week vacation to find that “Chuck had moved a road.” Helping develop WCU’s master plan is a career highlight for Wooten, but he calls the “relationships and friendships” the best part of his job. His colleagues return the love. Through the most difficult times – budget cuts, tight deadlines, staff turnover, implementing new systems – Wooten always maintained the highest standards, a calm demeanor, and his beloved PMA, said Jeanine Newman, WCU’s former associate vice chancellor for financial services. “We used to laugh about it, but he really lived that. He modeled it, and that’s contagious,” said Newman, recently named vice chancellor of finance at Sowela Technical Community College in Lake Charles, La. She claims Wooten as a mentor, and they both claim Carter, with whom Wooten worked for 20 years. Succeeding Wooten on an interim basis is internal auditor Robert Edwards ’77. Wooten arrived at WCU as a student after a neighbor suggested he consider attending. He met his wife at WCU, Kathy Goforth Wooten ’72, a cheerleader, whose two sisters, Nancy Goforth Carson ’74 and Cheryl Goforth White ’86, and their husbands, Joe Carson and Mike White ’84, also attended. Wooten returned to WCU as an employee after working as an accountant in the N.C. Department of State Treasurer and then, from 1975-80, as finance officer and then as manager of Iredell County, a demanding position that required late nights and early mornings. “There just never was enough time for anything except work,” said Wooten, whose daughter was born in 1978. (In the midst of work and family, Wooten completed a master’s degree in public administration at Appalachian State University in 1979.) An ad in the Charlotte Observer for controller at WCU caught Wooten’s eye. “The idea of returning to Cullowhee was attractive to both Kathy and me,” he said. Wooten’s commitment to WCU is matched by his commitment to community. He is active with Cullowhee United Methodist Church and the Cullowhee Parks and Community Association and serves on the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority, the board of Givens Estate in Asheville and the advisory board for the Sylva State Employees Credit Union. Upon leaving WCU, Wooten agreed to a six-month interim position as Jackson County manager, and he looks forward to similar assignments ahead. “I don’t plan on going home and propping my feet up. I’m going to do something, but it’s going to be the things I want to do,” he said. The interim position is a good fit for her husband, said Kathy Wooten, who retired as a kindergarten teacher at Fairview Elementary School in Sylva. “He really had many reservations about retiring, and it took him a long time to decide on it. With so much good knowledge that he has, he would want to share it,” she said. Part of what prompted Wooten’s retirement from WCU is what prompted him to seek the job in the first place: his family. Daughter Sally Wooten and her husband, Kevin Queen ’98 MSA ’09, are parents to twin 3-year-old daughters, Ella and Mattie. “Chuck’s life totally changed when he became a grandfather as far as what I saw him get joy from,” Kathy Wooten said. “I fell in love with him all over again, seeing him embrace those two little girls. It’s really been special to watch.” Spending time with his granddaughters, who live in Burke County, before they enter school is a priority for Wooten, as is influencing their decisions related to higher education. “We’re going to work really hard on Ella and Mattie to see if they can be future Catamounts,” he said. Chuck Wooten ’73 says enjoying more time with his family (opposite), including wife Kathy Wooten ’72 and granddaughters Mattie (left) and Ella Queen, is a priority in retirement. As vice chancellor of administration and finance, Wooten was part of a WCU building boom that included the Courtyard Dining Hall, where he spoke at the opening reception (above). magazine.wcu.edu Winter 2011 | 33 What particularly moved Carol Fowler Durham ’76 during her father’s multiple hospitalizations as he battled a rare connective tissue disease was the way the nurses cared for him. “They were making a difference in the lives of not only my father, but also my mother and, in turn, all of us,” said Durham, who was 13 when her father died. “So for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a nurse.” She earned her degree in nursing at Western Carolina and became a practicing nurse, which led her to another calling. Durham, who now holds a master’s degree and doctorate, is an internationally known, award-winning teacher and leader in the field of nursing education. “My undergraduate education at WCU prepared me to be a change agent, to be passionate about patient care and to influence the profession,” she said. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, Durham is a clinical professor. She has served as director since 1988 of the Education-Innovation-Simulation Learning Environment, an award-winning project that is shifting the focus in nursing education from body mechanics to safe patient-handling and movement. In addition, she has been a leader in incorporating human patient simulation
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Title | Western : the magazine of Western Carolina University |
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Full Text | End of an Era reflections on the tenure of John Bardo western carolina Winter 2011 t h e M a g a z i n e O f W E s t e r n C a r o l i n a U n i v e r s i t y Pride to Pasadena rose parade wrap-up Special section inside Think you found a home at WCU? Actually, you helped build it. Each time you give to the Loyalty Fund, you provide scholarship support to our students, ensuring WCU is home for generations to come. Loyalty Fund | give.wcu.edu | 201 HF Robinson, Cullowhee NC 28723 Winter 2011 Volume 15, No. 1 The Magazine of Western Carolina University is produced by the Office of Public Relations in the Division of Advancement and External Affairs for alumni, faculty, staff, friends and students of Western Carolina University. Chancellor John W. Bardo Vice Chancellor Advancement and External Affairs Clifton B. Metcalf Managing Editor Bill Studenc MPA ’10 Associate Editors Teresa Killian Tate Jill Ingram MA ’08 Art Director Rubae Schoen Chief Photographer Mark Haskett ’87 graphic designer Katie Martin Staff Writers Ashlea Allen Green Randall Holcombe Christy Martin ’71 MA ’78 Steve White ’67 Staff Photographers Ashley T. Evans Jarrett Frazier Calendar Editor Laura Huff ’03 Production Manager Loretta R. Adams ’80 Circulation Manager Cindi Magill Search for this button throughout the magazine for stories that feature online extras – videos, photographs and more, available ONLY online. magazine.wcu.edu western carolina Table of Contents Features resident status The campus makeover continues with the opening of residence halls moving on up A $2.5 million federal grant supports a program for people with disabilities Special Section Pride of the Mountains blossoms at the Rose Parade Cover story end of an era John Bardo prepares to step down after 16 years as chancellor Sections 8 News from the Western Hemisphere 26 WCU Athletics 32 Alumni Achievements 40 Class Notes 46 Calendar 4 14 Electronic delivery of Western Carolina magazine is free and includes all the content of the print version plus instant access to online extras. Receive your magazine earlier AND save paper! want to Receive your magazine electronically? Subscribing is easy. Send an e-mail to magazineaddress@wcu.edu, including your name and e-mail address in the message body, and start receiving Western Carolina magazine online. 18 center of magazine 4 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University resident status A major campus makeover continues with the opening of twin residence halls By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 With the dedication of new Balsam and Blue Ridge residence halls, the university equivalent of a “total remodel” home improvement project is nearly complete. All that remains now is some major landscaping to tie all the pieces together. The transformation of the center of the Western Carolina campus from a university where a trip from the student union to the cafeteria often involved dodging heavy traffic on a busy state road to one with a pedestrian-friendly, traditional college quad was made possible by the relocation of Centennial Drive away from the center core of campus in 2005. The remodel included a major renovation to A.K. Hinds University Center completed in 2004 that added 34,000 square feet of space, resulting in a new “living room” where students could gather out of the classroom. The Campus Recreation Center, which opened in fall 2008, is a 73,000-square-foot “rec room” featuring an indoor climbing wall and jogging track, along with a fully equipped fitness area and two multipurpose courts. The 53,000-square-foot Courtyard Dining Hall began operations in 2009, giving students a new “dining room,” with options ranging from an all-you-can-eat venue with multiple food stations to a mall-style food court. Now, with the opening of Balsam The adjoining Blue Ridge and Balsam residence halls, united by an archway, ring a campus center currently under construction (bottom left and inset). The campus center features green spaces, walkways and a fountain and is due for completion by summer. magazine.wcu.edu Winter 2011 | 5 Residence Hall in 2009 and Blue Ridge Hall this year through a $50 million construction project, 800 students have new bedrooms. Residents of the new halls include members of WCU’s Honors College, which also has office space in the ground floor of Balsam Hall. The residential college for high-achieving students has grown from 77 students in 1997 to more than 1,400 undergraduates representing all disciplines. The lower level of Blue Ridge Hall features new campus conference facilities capable of accommodating more than 300 people. Brian Railsback, dean of the Honors College, said that the new residence halls make an excellent home for his students and will play a role in helping recruit even larger numbers of academically gifted students in the years ahead. “These two impressive residences are a marvel of careful design and are now home to a vibrant social life. These are important things, but they are not the most important,” Railsback said. “Above all, this facility is a place for learning. Working in the numerous study rooms together in groups, or working alone in their rooms, students here are doing the research and creative work initiated by challenges from our faculty. The students who pass through these halls are becoming professionals or top candidates for graduate school, set to make a difference in their world – and much of that transformation happens right here in the residence.” The Nov. 30 dedication ceremony also include recognition of a plaque located on the exterior wall of Blue Ridge Hall marking the site of Leatherwood Hall, which was leveled to make room for Blue Ridge, and to honor the contributions of those for whom the building was named – Therman and Nell M. Leatherwood. Work is under way on a campus center, with landscaping, walkways and a circular, zero-depth fountain being built between the Alumni Tower and Blue Ridge and Balsam. The majority of the project is expected to be completed by April or May. Balsam and Blue Ridge are home to the Honors College and will play a big part in preparing those students for life after college, said Brian Railsback (top left), Honors College dean. Students work in one of Balsam’s multiple lounges and study rooms (top right), while students Ian Youmans (left) and Adam Ray relax in a Balsam room. 6 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Hundreds of students call the new residence halls Balsam and Blue Ridge home, so it’s only fitting that photographs by members of the WCU family line the walls. During the past decade, the university has concentrated on upgrading common spaces in residence halls, said Keith Corzine ’82, director of residential living. Often this means adding pictures or prints. “It’s a nice touch, and it makes it feel more like home,” Corzine said. As Blue Ridge and Balsam progressed, “we knew we wanted to move in that direction.” Enter Megan Cavanah ’10, a resident assistant at the time the new halls were being built and now a WCU graduate student in mathematics. Her dad is not only an alumus, Cavanah told Corzine, but is a photographer. As it turned out, Corzine and Doug Cavanah ’82 were classmates. When Corzine saw Doug Cavanah’s work, he was sold. “He’s an incredible photographer,” Corzine said. Ultimately Cavanah, a full-time fine art photographer who lives part time in Franklin, contributed more than a dozen Western North Carolina nature prints that hang primarily in Balsam. Four large black-and-white photos hang prominently in the entrance hall to the Blue Ridge Conference Center. “We wanted that space to have a gallery feel,” Corzine said. “I am extremely proud that my pictures are hanging there,” said Cavanah, who forgoes digital in favor of a large-format view camera. “The school has made tremendous progress since I graduated, campus is beautiful, the students seem to be engaged, and I’m just happy with all that WCU has accomplished.” Corzine turned to another member of the WCU family, junior communication major and resident assistant Jarrett Frazier, to round out the photographs. Frazier, a Sylva native, has worked with university photographer Mark Haskett ’87 since his freshman year and commonly turns up with his camera at campus events. Corzine has used Frazier’s work at open houses and other recruiting events, and also liked Frazier’s nature shots. “He had a nice portfolio to choose from,” Corzine said. The walkway lounge above the arch connecting the two residence halls is a showcase for a series of Frazier’s wildflowers. For printing and mounting the photos (with the exception of Cavanah’s black-and-white images, which he printed himself), Corzine turned to Tom Frazier ’79, Jarrett’s father and WCU manager of printing, mailing and PAW Print services, who also helped select photos for display. (Jarrett Frazier’s mother is Vickey Frazier ’75, and his brother is Patrick Frazier ’07, WCU assistant director of admission.) “A lot of visioning went into that residence hall project, and it’s really nice when the finished project – which includes the Doug Cavanah touch and a Jarrett Frazier touch and Tom Frazier imprint – is greater than the vision you had for it, and that’s how I felt about this project,” Corzine said. photographic study The images throughout new residence halls have WCU connections By jill ingram MA ’08 Photos by WCU student Jarrett Frazier and Doug Cavanah ’82 (above) hang throughout the new residence halls. Four large-scale black-and-white photos by Cavanah, including one fittingly titled “Blue Ridge” (top), hang in the Blue Ridge Conference Center entryway. Winter 2011 | 7 Some “boys from Brazil” are setting up a high-tech enterprise in Cullowhee, but this group of enterprising South Americans has nothing to do with nefarious plots or clones of notorious dictators. Instead, this band of Brazilians is collaborating with Western Carolina’s Kimmel School to develop new technology that could help wean the nation from its dependence on petroleum-based power. The Brazil-based renewable energy corporation Vale Energy Solutions (Vale Soluções em Energia, or VSE), agreed this fall to bring the headquarters of its U.S. operations to WCU to take advantage of faculty resources BOYS FROM BRAZIL The Kimmel School teams up with a South America-based renewable energy company By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 and laboratory space in the Kimmel School. The public-private partnership was formalized Oct. 11 when university and company representatives signed documents hailed by WCU Chancellor John W. Bardo. “VSE will benefit from our faculty expertise and other resources. WCU faculty will benefit from having access to new high-tech equipment, and WCU students will benefit from hands-on educational experiences, internships and international exchange opportunities in Brazil,” Bardo said. The region and the environment also could be big winners because of the partnership, he said. “If the project works like we think it will, we may be able to build a manufacturing facility to make these new turbines, which could mean as many as 300 new jobs. We hope those jobs will be in Western North Carolina.” The relationship enables VSE and its U.S. subsidiary, TAO Sustainable Power Solutions, to work with the Kimmel School to engineer a new turbine power system that runs on renewable energy sources. TAO occupies offices located on the second floor of WCU’s Center for Applied Technology. “VSE is interested in developing this technology to satisfy a worldwide need: efficient distributed power generation from renewable fuels,” said Robert McMahan, Kimmel School dean. “Brazil produces enormous amounts of sugarcane, which is already used to produce automotive transport fuels for their domestic use. This program will result in the development and production of systems that can use these and other renewable fuels to generate power while also, in some cases, cleaning potable water from contaminated or brackish sources. The company turned to us for the expertise to help make this happen.” The company also plans to use the technology to help bring the world’s first “green Olympics” to Rio de Janeiro in 2016. James Pessoa, president and CEO of VSE and TAO, said the agreement is just the first step in a long-term partnership. “This is a great honor for me and for VSE to be here to sign and to celebrate our technological collaboration agreement for the development of advanced turbines,” Pessoa said. “I’m certain that this is the starting point of a long-range and very fruitful collaboration between VSE and Western Carolina University.” Among possible future projects is a potential “game-changer” – a turbine that would produce not only nonpolluting energy but also fresh, drinkable water from such sources as saltwater, brackish water and industrial effluent. Fernando Mauricio Mengele (top, from left) and Marcos Leal of Vale Energy Solutions discuss stress analysis methods with Monty Graham ’95 MS ’03 of the Kimmel School. Inset, inventor Karl Stetson (left ) and Caden Painter ’08, a WCU energy management specialist, watch a holographic analysis of a turbine blade. magazine.wcu.edu 8 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University all’s well Geology students get hands-on experiences with research that supports the development of WCU’s Hydrologic Station By TERESA KILIAN TATE Wading into muddy creeks to measure stream velocity or going out in the rain to gather water samples was about more than just completing a project for geology students in a senior seminar research class. Their student-designed analysis of creeks in the Cullowhee community and how groundwater and streamwater interact was about being part of an effort that continues today and could help improve water quality. “I realized how much fun it is to actually put into practice what we learned in class, and how gratifying it was to see a project that we had designed turn out so well and be used to help the groundwater evaluation sites be established at WCU,” said John Hayes ’10, from Chapel Hill. “Water is one of the most valuable resources we have, and we need to do more to protect it so it is clean and does not run out.” Their research not only earned the students an invitation to present at a national professional meeting but also proved to be preliminary work on sites that are now part of the developing WCU Hydrologic Station. As part of the initiative, WCU has committed to participate in regular groundwater and streamwater research and monitoring, and the N.C. Division of Water Quality has installed about 40 shallow groundwater wells around campus at depths ranging from 5 to 25 feet. “It is an opportunity to partner with a university doing work of common interest,” said Ted Campbell, a hydrogeologist with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “By working with WCU on this project, we can leverage our resources to learn more about groundwater and stream interactions, and water quality in these settings, which will help us to determine whether or not current approaches to sampling and permitting are appropriate and optimally effective.” Mark Lord, head of WCU’s Geosciences and Natural Resources Department, said students in the senior seminar research class are encouraged to focus their work on regional issues. Classes have focused on such topics as landslides in Haywood County, paleoclimate analysis of a wetland in Panthertown, the impact of Dillsboro dam on the Tuckaseigee River and now, streamwater and groundwater. “This is a great example of giving students a terrific learning experience that is authentic and real in which they collaborate with professionals in a wide variety of disciplines on research that is important to our region,” said Lord. “Understanding our groundwater resources is increasingly important as we see more development and, as we saw in recent years, with drought conditions that caused wells to run dry. The more we know, the better informed we will be in making decisions that affect the quantity and quality of water in our community.” The experience helped push Danvey Walsh ’10 to pursue his master’s degree in hydrogeology at the University of Nevada in Reno, where he is a research assistant working on a 3-D geothermal reservoir modeling project. “I really learned that there is a lack of public education when it comes to groundwater and water issues,” Walsh said. “I hope this project can help reach out and inform the community about where our water really comes from.” Ted Campbell (far left), a hydrogeologist with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, measures depth during well installation on the WCU campus with student Paul Purnell. Mark Lord (above left), head of the WCU Geosciences and Natural Resources Department, and geology students go into the field to discuss and gather data for water quality research. Winter 2011 | 9 The newest additions to WCU’s landscape can withstand high winds, heavy rain, snow, ice and subzero temperatures, but won’t survive through the year. Installed in September, these works of metals, concrete and wood are pieces in a temporary outdoor sculpture exhibit. The sculptures are in the courtyard of the Fine and Performing Arts Center, with each piece specifically chosen for its site, said Denise Drury, interim museum director. For instance, “Nucleus of a Raindrop” by Hanna Jubran, of Grimesland by way of Israel, “is highly detailed, so we decided to place it near the entrance to the FAPAC box office so that visitors might have a more intimate experience with it,” Drury said. “Midden Artifacts,” five concrete mounds by Brian Glaze of Hendersonville, were placed in the lawn’s center as if rising from the earth like uncovered relics. Also part of the exhibit are “Ferrous Oak,” by J. Andrew Davis of Brevard, a vertical shaft of steel and cast iron; “Union,” by Deborah LaGrasse of Crawfordville, Fla., two identical joined aluminum forms; and “Over & Up,” by Robert Winkler of Asheville, a spiral of cedar and steel that employs straight lines only. While the outdoor exhibit is scheduled to end in October, it comes as part of a master plan to increase public access to art on campus through exhibits of temporary, permanent, neighborhood and themed art. An outdoor environment requires art “that stands out against its surroundings,” Jubran said. Outdoor art is more accessible to the public and typically gets more exposure than a piece housed indoors. When it’s been part of the landscape long enough, “once you remove it, people will miss it,” he said. BLOOMING WHILE THEY’RE PLANTED The art museum exhibits outdoor sculpture, and a fixture leaves his post By jill ingram MA ’08 Martin DeWitt, founding director and curator of the Fine Art Museum, has been a part of the WCU landscape since before the museum even opened, and, like public sculpture, now that he is gone, the WCU and surrounding communities surely miss him. “I think the timing is right for changes,” said DeWitt, who ended his run in December. Though his career spans more than 30 years in museum administration, he is a painter and sculptor who exhibits his own work and looks forward to more time in his studio. DeWitt joined the university in 2003, with the museum opening in 2005 as part of WCU’s Fine and Performing Arts Center. He was involved in the museum’s construction, curated its permanent collection (which grew to more than 1,200 objects) and drafted the blueprint for the facility’s operation. “Martin has been an outstanding founding director of the Fine Art Museum,” said Robert Kehrberg, dean of WCU’s College of Fine and Performing Arts, who praised DeWitt for defining a vision for the museum and cultivating it as a cultural destination. Regional artists have been a museum focus, among them Harvey K. Littleton, a pioneer of the studio glass movement; Lewis Buck, who creates paintings and assemblage pieces; glass artist Richard Ritter; and Mike Smith, who photographs contemporary Appalachia. DeWitt also showcased a number of American Indian artists, including Shan Goshorn, Luzene Hill and Natalie Smith. Outdoor art is accessible art: Children play on Brian Glaze’s “Midden Artifacts” in the Fine and Performing Arts Center courtyard. At right, a detail of the steel and cast iron ‘Ferrous Oak.’ fineartmuseum.wcu.edu Martin DeWitt 10 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University It was not the typical Thursday morning for song sparrow IR-IF. While defending his territory from the song of an intruding male, he landed in the net of Jeremy Hyman, a biology professor at Western Carolina University. Held tightly in Hyman’s hand, IR-IF got a set of ankle bands. Hyman measured the bird’s wing length, tarsus and beak before putting him in a white bag to weigh him. Hyman released the bird from his grip, and IR-IF flew to a nearby bush to pick at his new bands with his beak. “He’ll be back to defending his territory in no time,” Hyman said. IR-IF is king of the small garden and shrubs a courtyard adjacent to Hoey Auditorium, and is one of the most aggressive males at WCU. IR-IF’s territory is one of more than 100 on the campus. Hyman studies 40 of the territories. He researches the behaviors of song sparrows and compares the urbanized population around the campus to other areas. Hyman has loved bird-watching since he was a kid and learned the art of birding from his grandpa in New York City. “I didn’t know it could turn into a profession,” he said. He started teaching at WCU four years ago and spent the summer studying local bird populations on campus. “I immediately saw these birds were way more aggressive than the ones I’d known before,” said Hyman, who studied the same species extensively in Pennsylvania. Hyman measures how aggressive the birds are through playback experiments. He goes into a male’s territory and sets up a small speaker, which plays the song of another male from his field studies in Pennsylvania. Each male has a repertoire of about five to 13 songs. During mating season, roughly March to September, they sing the songs to attract females and hold their turf. Aggressive males will swoop down and chirp lower-pitched songs at the speaker. Hyman tracks how close the males get to the speaker and how many songs they sing during the experiment. To make sure the difference is truly between urban and rural populations instead of just between North Carolina and Pennsylvania sparrows, Hyman has done playback experiments at Purchase Knob, a remote area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Haywood County where the birds encounter few people. While Hyman has detected broad trends in the aggressiveness of rural versus urban populations, personalities vary between individual birds — just like they would within a group of people. For example, not all male song sparrows have the boisterous personality of IR-IF. “You also have these birds that are real wimps year after year,” he said. Reprinted in edited format with permission of the Smoky Mountain News. bird brain Song sparrow behavior strikes a chord as a research topic for a biology professor By ELIZABETH JENSEN magazine.wcu.edu Winter 2011 | 11 The studies that forensic science faculty members are planning for Western Carolina’s new state-of-the- art DNA sequencers could help introduce the technology into crime laboratory casework across the nation. The university recently acquired two instruments believed to generate significantly more DNA information from a test sample than the fluorescence-based chemistries and equipment that have been used for years in crime laboratories. Before the new technology can be reliably used in criminal investigations, however, exploratory studies must be conducted. And that’s where WCU comes in, said Mark Wilson, director of the forensic science program. “These instruments are most common in genome laboratories and have not yet made a debut in forensic science, but it’s just a matter of time,” said Wilson. “There is a lot of discussion in the forensic science community about how to integrate this technology into forensic casework. We will conduct some of the studies at WCU that are required for this kind of equipment to be introduced into crime laboratories so that the benefits of the new technology can be realized.” The new instruments use light signals to generate DNA sequence information on a very fine scale. Specifically, the equipment’s charge-coupled device, or CCD camera, takes pictures of light emitted from microscopic wells containing the DNA sequencing reagents and the DNA template to be sequenced. The pictures generated resemble a snowy TV screen, with each pixel representing a separate DNA sequencing reaction. The small pieces of DNA sequence are collected and then stitched together using computer programs to build larger sequences so that investigators can compare the results with other DNA sequences from a particular case or a database. “This approach assists with the difficult task of evaluating mixtures of different DNA sequences, such as those found in some evidentiary samples, or those found, for instance, from a soil sample containing multiple bacterial species science test Researchers at WCU are helping evaluate the next generation of DNA sequence analysis By TERESA KILIAN TATE from the Great Smoky Mountains,” said Wilson. “There are a multitude of different uses for this technology that expand beyond forensic science into widely divergent fields within biology.” The sequencer will be available for use in research by WCU faculty in a range of disciplines, including biology and chemistry, and students will benefit from becoming familiar with the equipment, said Wilson. “Our students will be exposed to a technology that is just now coming into the forefront,” he said. “They will gain valuable experience that is not offered in many undergraduate programs, especially in forensic science.” The forensic science program also recently received a $397,098 grant from the National Institute of Justice to evaluate an emerging method of DNA sequence analysis using these instruments. The method, called deep sequencing, can identify minor variations within a DNA sequence that are present as a small percentage of the whole. Using deep sequencing information from hair, mouth and blood samples, WCU’s research will attempt to reveal whether the forensic field might benefit in making interpretational changes in some aspects of human DNA analysis. “This research may have an impact on the number of interpretations that are currently inconclusive,” Wilson said. “In other words, it may result in more definitive conclusions, although this remains to be seen.” Rebecca Malott ’10 performs a DNA extraction from buccal cells with guidance from Brittania Bintz MS ’06 (background), forensic research scientist at WCU. 12 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University a FUNDRAISER with LEGS The evolving running scene on campus has a new attraction – WCU’s first half marathon By randall holcombe Runners from across the Southeast will get a chance to test their leg muscles this spring by participating in the new Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon. The race will start from the center of campus at 7 a.m. Sunday, April 3, and take runners on a scenic 13.1-mile journey through the Cullowhee Valley and along the Tuckaseigee River before winding back to WCU. Sponsors are the School of Health Sciences, and Campus Recreation and Wellness. Proceeds will be used to support professional development opportunities for students. The new race has its roots in WCU’s athletic training program, which has been sponsoring a 5-K on campus for five years, said Jay Scifers, former director of athletic training who is now director of the School of Health Sciences. The success of the 5-K led to the first Mountain Jug Run for Research in fall of 2008. Named after the annual football rivalry between WCU and Appalachian State University, the Run for Research sends athletic training students and faculty on a leg-powered relay spanning the 175 miles between Cullowhee and Boone to raise money for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Research and Education Foundation, which awards research grants and academic scholarships in sports medicine. The third Run for Research was held in late October, with each of the 15 runners covering 25 miles of the course in 5-mile segments, and two or three runners on the road at any given time. It was a huge accomplishment for the student runners, many of whom had never run more than a mile at a time before signing on for the challenge, Scifers said. The group trained for 10 weeks to get ready, meeting at 6 a.m. four mornings each week to complete training runs ranging from three to 12 miles. “To see the new runners complete the Run for Research and then continue running after the event and adopt a new lifestyle of wellness is very gratifying,” Scifers said. “In addition to teaching the students about the value of philanthropy, the event helps them learn about injury prevention, proper nutrition, hydration and management of environmental conditions in athletics.” The Run for Research has been so successful that WCU’s program won the NATA-REF’s Student Challenge Award the last two years for raising more money than any other athletic training program in the nation for the grant and scholarship program. Keeping with that theme of encouraging new runners to get into the sport for fitness and wellness, organizers of the Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon are putting extra emphasis on encouraging new runners to take on the challenge of running 13.1 miles for the first time, said Ashley Long, assistant professor of athletic training. ���A 12-week training program we developed is being offered free to all registered runners, and those who live in the local area have been taking advantage of organized group training runs,” she said. For more information about the Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon and the free training program, go to halfmarathon.wcu.edu. The success of an annual long-distance benefit run prompted Cullowhee’s inaugural Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon, says Jay Scifers (fourth from right), director of WCU’s School of Health Sciences. Winter 2011 | 13 14 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University You don’t have to spend much time on Western Carolina’s campus before noticing its bustling, diverse student body. Stroll through Hunter Library and you’re likely to see students of varying ages, ethnicities and races huddled around tables with coffees, books and laptops. Pop into Courtyard Dining Hall for a bite to eat and you might meet a young Muslim student from Saudi Arabia, stand in line behind a nontraditional graduate student from Raleigh, or sit across the table from an American Indian student from the Qualla Boundary. At WCU and elsewhere across the nation, the student body has become increasingly diverse, especially during the Generation Y era. Until recently, however, one group of students was not likely to be seen on college campuses – people such as Aaron Hoefs, who has a developmental disability. “I never thought I’d be sitting in class myself, but I’d always wanted to know what it was like,” said Hoefs, 26. Now he can. Thanks to WCU’s University Participant Program, backed by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Hoefs and a handful of other 20-somethings with intellectual and developmental disabilities now live, study and work part-time jobs at WCU. They’re experiencing college – much like any college freshman would – by living in residence hall, eating their meals at the dining hall, attending classes, studying for exams and making new friends. UP Program participants take up to 10 hours of classes per semester and are part of a decade-long trend to increase educational opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which can include cerebral palsy and some forms of autism. The program is part of a national movement to include students with such disabilities on college campuses, said coordinator Kelly R. Kelley ’03 MAEd ’06, whose outspokenness for the inclusion of students with developmental disabilities at WCU led to the program’s pilot project three years ago. “Our long-term plan is to make this an ongoing program at WCU and at other colleges and universities throughout the state,” said David L. Westling, UP Program director and the Adelaide Worth Daniels Distinguished Professor of Special Education. Organizations such as Think College!, which advocates postsecondary education for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, contend that until recently people with such disabilities had limited educational opportunities after high school. However, as these students had more inclusive experiences at school and in the community, they began to dream of attending college, just like their classmates, siblings and neighbors. Now young people with intellectual disabilities, with help from families and educators, are finding ways to make their college dreams a reality. The federal government also has stepped up to assist the college goals of people with intellectual disabilities. To ensure that students with these disabilities have access to a college education, Congress approved in 2008 the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which allows students with intellectual disabilities to qualify for college loans and work-study funds. Although students in the UP Program do not earn college credit, the program provides two years of customized edu-cational, social and professional programming previously unavailable to this population of students. “The program is designed to work backward based on the student’s post- UP Program independent-living and employment goals,” said Kelley. The UP Program helps students with developmental disabilities, including Elizabeth Pritchett (far left), strolling with program volunteer Shaneé Sullivan ’10, participate in all aspects of campus life. Michael Beasley (below) was the program’s first participant and now mentors new students. With support from a $2.5 million federal grant, the University Participant Program helps young people with disabilities experience college life By ashlea allen green Moving on UP Winter 2011 | 15 A Program of Inclusion Applicants to the program complete a rigorous admission process and are required to submit an undergraduate admission application, résumé and three letters of recommendation, as well as a video of themselves explaining their goals and why they’re interested in the program. Staff from the UP Program and the offices of Admission and Residential Living meet to review and rate each applicant based on how much they believe he or she will contribute to the university. “The on-campus college experiences of our participants are fully integrated and inclusive,” Kelley said. “There are no separate facilities, settings or classes. We recruit WCU students to provide a natural support system for participants who are living in residence halls, attending classes, engaging in social and recreational activities, becoming involved in student organizations, and developing friendships and relationships – in other words, the typical college experience.” Since the program’s inception, two young men have completed the program, and four participants – two women and two men – are currently involved in the program. The number of participants is expected to double during the next five years. Hoefs, whose background includes serving as Haywood County’s spokesperson for the Special Olympics, is in his first year of the program and says that his speech class has been the most difficult. “I got the hang of it after a couple of weeks with the help of Amanda England, one of the student volunteers,” he said. “But understanding the professor and getting up and doing speeches was tough in the beginning.” On the other side of the classroom podium, faculty also anticipated a few challenges in the inclusion of UP Program participants in their classrooms. Peter Savage, assistant professor in the School of Stage and Screen, had reservations last semester about whether Anna Grace Davis, an UP Program participant in his theater appreciation class, would be accepted by the other students. “I was a little worried that the other students would not be supportive of her, because I grew up in a time when students with special needs were not integrated,” said Savage. “But what I found was that the students were overwhelmingly accepting and respectful toward her. That was huge for me.” Savage said he did not adjust his teaching style for Davis. “I try to teach different learning styles – auditory, visual, kinesthetic – for all of my students,” he said. “I hoped that at least one of those styles would work for Anna.” Savage’s approach must have paid off; Davis, although shy at first, memorized her lines and performed well on stage. “When she was focused, her work was as good as anyone’s,” he said. This semester, Davis will have to memorize up to 40 lines in a class performance of a play about high school bullying. In addition to a busy course schedule, demanding assignments, and social events and activities, participants in the UP Program are placed in part-time jobs in areas in which they’re interested, where they gain not only valuable job skills but also self-confidence. “They try new things and succeed,” said Kelley. Success Stories Through the program, participants have worked on campus in offices, greenhouses and the library. Some, like Elizabeth Pritchett, have even worked off campus. Pritchett dreamed of finding employment in a day care center, but was told that her limited reading abilities precluded her from working in a setting where reading to children was a core function of the job. That’s when Kelley stepped in and convinced the center’s staff to take a chance on Pritchett. The results did not surprise Kelley. “Elizabeth did very well,��� she said. “She even took the initiative to try to implement part of a behavioral plan at the day care.” Pritchett’s impressive day care experience led to other meaningful, hands-on activities, including helping teach small groups at Cullowhee Valley School, where she assisted in planning 16 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University a unit on farming, supervised groups, and contributed to lesson plans with fellow WCU students in the class. Program graduate Michael Beasley, 25, who has worked as a consultant in the UP Program office mentoring new participants since the summer of 2010, is another success story. Beasley, who has cerebral palsy, feels his current job is a great fit for his skills and interests. “I’d like to stay in this position for at least five years or until the program runs out of money,” Beasley said. “In this economy, it sure is hard to find a job.” A Waynesville native, Beasley was the program’s first participant, from 2007 until 2009. “I have to toot my own horn,” he said. “Without me, I don’t think the program would have gotten off the ground.” Beasley said that learning how to be independent was the most important thing he gained from the program. “The first couple of nights in the dorm were scary, but I got through it,” he said. “I was surprised by how busy I was, and I was surprised by how nice everyone was.” Beasley also recalled how willing facilities management workers were to install a track system in his Norton Residence Hall room so that he could get in and out of bed. Like Beasley, Hoefs found the kindness of fellow students, faculty and staff to be the most unexpected aspect of his new life on campus. “I was most surprised by the student volunteers,” said Hoefs. “I thought that as soon as they found out that we were people with special needs, they would back out, but not one has backed out. I realized they were like my family away from home.” For more information about the UP Program or to volunteer, contact Kelly Kelley at 828.550.1990 or kkelley@wcu.edu. His mother, Connie Hoefs, was relieved to observe the meaningful friendships her son developed through the program. “I had been very nervous before he started the program, not knowing how he would be treated as a special-needs person. Some people can be so cruel,” she said. “But he’s made so many friends. It goes beyond school. Even during the breaks, they were calling, texting and Facebooking each other.” Like many college freshmen living away from home for the first time, UP Program participants experience bouts of homesickness. They also contemplate what they should do after college. Hoefs is no exception. “Everyone keeps asking me what I want to do after college, and I keep telling them it’s only my first year!” he said. Hoefs’ mother, however, has a clear idea of her hopes for her son’s future. “My dreams are that one day he can be out on his own,” she said. “As every parent with a special-needs child will tell you, I know I won’t be here forever, so I want the best for him when I’m no longer here and able to help him.” She encourages other parents with special-needs children to allow their children to take part in educational opportunities like this one. “Don’t hold your child back because of your fears,” she said. “Let them go. If they don’t learn to walk, they’ll never learn to run.” Program participants enjoy a fully integrated and inclusive college experience. UP student Corey Hambrick (opposite page, top) listens intently during class while Aaron Hoefs (bottom) enjoys a football game with UP staff member Amber Anderson. Like other UP Program students, Anna Grace Davis (top right) gains skills and confidence through part-time work. Here, she catalogs videotapes in Hunter Library with program volunteer Rebekah Norris. Winter 2011 | 17 18 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University It was just a week or two before John William Bardo, then provost at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, was scheduled to set foot on campus for his first day on the job as the 10th chancellor at Western Carolina University when Judy Dowell received an envelope postmarked “Bridgewater, Mass.” Inside the unexpected delivery was an artist’s rendering of an approaching storm, with dark clouds boiling in the heavens, ocean waves whipped into a frenzy by hurricane-force winds, and bolts of lightning zigzagging across the horizon. Written below the picture was “Bardo on the horizon.” Dowell, who served for 10 years as assistant to Chancellor Myron “Barney” Coulter and another year as assistant to Interim Chancellor Jack Wakeley before spending seven years at the right hand of Bardo, still chuckles when she harkens back to opening the mail on that day in 1995. “The picture was sent by an administrator at Bridgewater State who just thought I would enjoy seeing it. And I did. We all did,” she said. “The way I interpreted the image was, ‘You people at Western Carolina better get ready. You’re getting a ball of fire there, a real bundle of energy.’ I think we all found out pretty quickly just how true a statement that was.” Indeed. Who could have predicted the massive winds of change that have blown through the Cullowhee Valley over the nearly 16 years since Bardo was named WCU’s chief executive officer? Under Bardo’s leadership, student enrollment has grown from 6,500 to more than 9,400, and with rising enrollment came a building boom unprecedented in university history. Among the 14 new buildings or major renovations since 1995 are five residence halls, a dining hall, the Campus Recreation Center, Fine and Performing Arts Center, Center for Applied Technology, and an expansion By bill studenc mpa ’10 of A.K. Hinds University Center. The university added women’s soccer and softball programs and renovated every athletics facility on campus, including west-side stands at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. WCU in 2005 launched the Millennial Initiative, an ambitious economic development strategy designed to enable private business and industry to collaborate with WCU, doubling the size of campus with the acquisition of 344 acres where a new Health and Human Sciences Building is under construction. The university gained national recognition during Bardo’s tenure for being among the first institutions in the nation to require students to bring computers to campus and for adopting innovative tenure and promotion policies that reward faculty for scholarly activities beyond traditional teaching, research and service. Western Carolina’s Quality Enhancement Plan, which emphasizes strong connections between students’ academic and extracurricular activities, has been called a national model by higher education associations. Under Bardo’s watch, WCU created the residential Honors College, which has grown to become one of the largest in the country. Over the past 16 years, WCU has focused attention on sharply increasing admissions standards and has developed a program in undergraduate research that consistently ranks near the top in the number of student presenters at the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Bardo also made it a priority to attract top faculty members who are nationally known experts in their fields. When he first arrived, the university had no endowed distinguished professorship; today, WCU boasts 21 that are fully funded. Bardo, who on Oct. 11 announced his decision to step down as chancellor at the end of this academic year, also magazine.wcu.edu End of an Era After 16 years on the job, John Bardo prepares to step down as chancellor Winter 2011 | 19 oversaw the first comprehensive fundraising campaign in university history, which netted $51,826,915 in private giving for endowed scholarships, professorships and programmatic support. During his administration, WCU emphasized the enhancement of student life through the development of learning communities, student leadership initiatives, model Greek life programs, and strong attention to the development and welfare of the whole student. “You look at all of these things, and it has been quite a career and quite a tenure for this chancellor,” said Stephen Woody, former chair of WCU’s Board of Trustees who was chairman of the committee that guided the search for a successor to Myron Coulter after his retirement in 1994. “I like to say that our search committee would like to take full credit for John Bardo being at Western Carolina, but of course that’s not true, because many other people were involved. We all are fortunate to have had John Bardo as our chancellor, and we should thank him for his years of dedicated service.” The Formative Years Among those involved in helping shape the educational priorities that would come to define Bardo’s chancellorship was his father, whose dedication to earning a college degree as a nontraditional student made an impression on WCU’s future leader, although Bardo says he did not realize it at the time. “My father graduated by going to night school. He went for 10 years while trying to hold down a traveling job and raising a family. It was a tough run,” he said. “Watching my father struggle and realizing the implications of getting an education for him, despite a whole array of issues including an illness that almost killed him, and the way he stuck with it and got his degree, that really spoke to me. The way my mother supported him also made an impression, because without her saying, ‘Jack, you’ve got to do this,’ he probably would have stopped because it sometimes got to be way too much. I do think that colored how I view education and what I think education actually means.” Growing up in Ohio, Bardo had an early goal of becoming a professional photographer. “I loved photography, and I published a number of pictures over time,” he said. “I actually had an offer to go into an art studio, but I also was accepted into graduate school the same day I got that offer.” The art studio director agreed to hold a position for Bardo for a year. After earning his master’s degree in sociology from Ohio University in 1971, he was accepted into the doctoral program at the Ohio State University. With that, photography’s loss became higher education’s gain. “Getting into college and university administration was never anything in my youth I thought I would pursue,” Bardo said. “In fact, after I graduated from high school, my parents did not think I would ever graduate from anything ever again. For graduation, they gave me a gold Longines watch because they felt like I would go off into photography and never continue in academics.” Instead, Bardo studied economics at the University of Cincinnati, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1970. Even as an undergrad, he admits he wasn’t always a stellar student. “Because of my father’s experience, I was familiar with universities, but when I was in school, studying was never high on my list of priorities,” he said. “It wasn’t until my junior year in college that I woke up and had the big ‘aha moment.’ I changed direction almost immediately.” Bardo again credits his parents for that change of direction. “My parents always knew I wanted to travel, so I guess in desperation to get me to do something – anything – they sent me to England to study,” he said “When I got there, the whole milieu in which they were operating was so different that it absolutely struck me. They were trying to answer real, fundamental questions – how do you rebuild a society after all the major cities have been bombed out, how do you rebuild an economy so people can live, and how do you keep the environment from being totally destroyed while you are rebuilding? These were big-time questions they were worrying over in very real ways. It was not just theoretical.” Those experiences – witnessing his father struggle to earn a degree and the role of education in helping a society resurrect itself – steered Bardo’s study of economics and sociology and shaped his understanding of institutions of higher education as key players in economic development. “Higher education has moved from this interesting place 20 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University in the small community with the quirky professor with a tweedy jacket riding his bicycle to campus and saying nifty things in the classroom to where universities are now at the center of the future of society, the future of the economy and the future of this country,” he said. First Impressions Armed with an understanding of the connection between education and economic development, Bardo began a career in higher education with stints at Southwest Texas State University, Wichita State University and the University of North Florida. He became vice president for academic affairs at Bridgewater State in 1990, and took on the additional role of provost in 1993. When Coulter decided to step down as WCU chancellor in 1994 after a decade in the post, Bardo was among those interested in the position. It became evident early in the recruitment process that he was a front-runner, said Woody. “We identified four finalists and made plans to bring them to campus so that, over the course of a couple days, they could meet and talk with faculty, staff, students and other interested parties,” he said. “The first person who came to campus, because we did them alphabetically, was Dr. Bardo. And right after Dr. Bardo spoke, I had several people say to me, ‘Stephen, don’t bother bringing anybody else in. We have found the right person.’ And I said, ‘Don’t you at least want to hear what the others have to say?’ And they replied, ‘It’s not necessary. We already know who our next chancellor should be.’” (The committee, of course, did seriously consider other candidates.) Doug Reed, then director of public information, has a similar recollection about the public sessions once a part of the chancellor search process but no longer common practice. “During his presentation, John had the audience in the palm of his hand,” Reed said. “I was sitting in the back of the room, listening and taking notes, and I was struck by how completely John had captivated the audience. He spoke as one of them – as a fellow faculty member. He really knows how to speak to an academic audience.” Bardo, officially announced as WCU chancellor on St. Patrick’s Day 1995, also knows how to relate to staff, including blue-collar workers, said Roger Turk, grounds superintendent. Turk said Bardo made a perfect first impression on his workers when they arrived at the chancellor’s residence to help him move and found the new boss jamming out to music by rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. “I told the guys, ‘He’s one of us, boys,’” Turk said. In Bardo, staff members found an ally. Bardo advocated for salary increases to help lower-paid workers get closer to the state average for their positions. He created a $10,000 endowed scholarship fund in honor of wife Deborah that benefits children and grandchildren of WCU employees. He frequently attends staff picnics or other special activities to spend time with workers. “Dr. Bardo sees the importance of the blue-collar worker here at WCU, and what they bring to the tradition and function of this campus,” Turk said. “He sees there are people working here who are second, third, even fourth generations of their families with careers at WCU. He has come to understand the heritage, pride and commitment of mountain people and their culture. He has accepted those attributes in the staff and sees that as a very positive and important thing.” Raising the Bar Perhaps the defining moment of the Bardo era came on a cold, snowy day in February 1996, in what has come to be known as the “Raising the Bar” speech. In that first major address of his administration, Bardo outlined a strategy for taking WCU to a new level by improving the quality of its academic programs and increasing admission standards, and by focusing on regional economic development and the performing and visual arts. Reed, the now-retired public information director, remembers one of his first assignments for Bardo – helping draft the ‘Raise the Bar’ speech. “I was working on those From left, Bardo, wife Deborah and son Christopher at his 1995 investiture with C.D. Spangler, president of the University of North Carolina system, and Judge Mark D. Martin ’85; the Catamount softball program was established under Bardo; the Bardos with Paws; and at the 2003 opening of the Center for Applied Technology with trustee Phil Walker ’71, Congressman Charles Taylor and SGA president Heather List ’05. Winter 2011 | 21 remarks over the weekend, and I felt moved to pick up the phone and call him at the chancellor’s residence. That had never been my practice in working with chancellors,” he said. “But I couldn’t help but pick up the phone and call John Bardo as I read over the draft of his address. I was really encouraged by the fact the incoming chancellor was talking – in diplomatic but strong and forthright terms – about raising the bar and improving academic quality. I called to say, ‘Hooray!’” The rest, as they say, is history. Since 1995, the average SAT score for incoming freshmen has risen 80 points – a 5-point rise is considered statistically significant – while the average grade-point average has gone from 3.0 in 1995 to 3.5 today. The freshman retention rate has improved from 69 percent to 74 percent. For two years running, WCU has cracked the top 10 of US News and World Report’s list of leading public regional universities in the South. Innovative policies that reward faculty members for applying their scholarly activities to solve problems faced by the community beyond campus have been called “a national model,” and those policies are enabling professors to help nearby Dillsboro rebound from the economic downturn. U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, who represents the far-western counties of North Carolina in Congress, is among the fans of WCU’s adoption of “the Boyer model of scholarship,” which connects university scholarly work to the needs of society. “Dr. Bardo truly has paved the way for other colleges and universities across the nation to take a different look at their academic structure by encouraging an atmosphere that attracts faculty members who have real-life experiences in their respective disciplines and who are able to share those experiences with their students,” Shuler said. ��Students are able to get valuable career experience before they even have graduated and begun their careers, and sometimes those relationships they form while students result in employment opportunities after they graduate. That’s what we like to see.” Belle S. Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, praised Bardo for his leadership not only on his home campus but beyond. “Accreditation in the United States exists due to leaders like Dr. John Bardo, who are committed to self-regulation in higher education and understand the value and credibility it brings to academic initiatives. He knows the necessity for institutional commitment to accreditation’s concept of quality enhancement through continuous assessment and improvement and has demonstrated this through his innovative support of faculty and students at Western Carolina University, most recently through the development and implementation of WCU’s Quality Enhancement Plan,��� Wheelan said. “He is a champion of American higher education.” The Purple Party For all the development on campus over the past 16 years, it’s the university’s role in development of another kind that has won Bardo admirers for his political acumen. WCU has received nearly $20 million in federal funding during his administration, dollars that helped build and equip the Center for Applied Technology, launch electrical engineering and forensic science programs, expand regional broadband capacity, and create science and economic development partnerships with universities including Southern Cal, Stanford, Furman and Clemson. Bardo’s understanding of the role of higher education in economic development was key in obtaining federal support, said Charles Taylor, former congressman and member of the House Appropriations Committee. “It is essential to have a partner like Dr. Bardo,” Taylor said. “Although I had the responsibility in the appropriations process of getting the funds together because of the seniority I had in Congress, you have to have a program you can be proud of and someone who can be an eloquent spokesman for that program. With Dr. Bardo, I had an equal partner, someone who knew what needed to be done, who could provide the background and information we needed to make the case for funding for these programs. As a congressman, that is invaluable.” From left, Liz Goettee ’06 snaps Bardo at commencement; and Bardo accepts a 2005 contribution toward the Fine and Performing Arts Center from Michell Hicks ’87, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Tom O’Donnell of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel. 22 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University A 16-person committee with membership drawn from faculty, students, staff, alumni and administration and from the surrounding community is deep into the process of helping select Western Carolina’s next chancellor. The committee is working with Baker and Associates, an executive search firm with offices in Winston-Salem and Atlanta, to identify a successor for John W. Bardo. “We face an extraordinary opportunity in continuing the momentum this university has achieved and in extending the multitude of successes this university has enjoyed over the past 15-plus years,” said Steve Warren ’80, chair of the WCU Board of Trustees, who chairs the chancellor search committee. After poring over the backgrounds of more than three dozen candidates and interviewing several, the committee will recommend its top choices to the WCU Board of Trustees. That board will forward at least three nominees to University of North Carolina system President Tom Ross, who will present his recommendation to the UNC Board of Governors for approval. The goal is to have a new chancellor in place by July 1. “I know that the search committee and President Ross will find an excellent leader for WCU,” said Bardo. “The people of this campus have shown that they are winners and they deserve no less than a great leader. I look forward to lending him or her my complete support and cheering from the sidelines as this university continues its quest for excellence.” The Committee: Chair Steve Warren ’80 of Asheville, Board of Trustees chair and an attorney. Gerald Kiser ’69 of Columbia, S.C., Board of Trustees member and former CEO of La-Z-Boy Inc. Joan MacNeill of Webster, current trustee and past board chair, and former president of Great Smoky Mountains Railway. Virginia “Tommye” Saunooke ’96 MPA ’06 of Cherokee, WCU trustee and member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council. Teresa Williams of Huntersville, Board of Trustees member and board secretary. Charles Worley of Asheville, vice chair of WCU’s trustees and former mayor of Asheville. A.J. Grube, head of WCU’s Department of Business Administration and Law, and Sport Management. Erin McNelis, chair of WCU’s Faculty Senate and associate professor of mathematics and computer science. Bill Ogletree, head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Daniel Dorsey, president of the Student Government Association and a senior from Decatur, Ga. William Frady ’99 MAEd ’05, chair of the WCU Staff Senate and staff member in the Division of Information Technology. Carol Burton ’87 MAEd ’89, associate vice chancellor for undergraduate studies. Betty Jo Allen ’68 of Lincolnton, president of the WCU Alumni Association and a retired teacher. Kenny Messer ’86 of Greenville, S.C., past-president of the Catamount Club board of directors and an executive with Milliken Corp. Phil Walker ’71 of Hickory, former Board of Trustees chair and a senior vice president with BB&T. Scott Hamilton of Hendersonville, CEO of AdvantageWest, the regional economic development commission of Western North Carolina. search party A committee is hard at work to have WCU’s next leader in place by the summer By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 Calling himself a member of “the Purple Party,” Bardo frequently said that it does not matter to him whether an elected official is a Republican, a Democrat or a member of a third party; what matters to him is a willingness to help WCU in its efforts to support economic development in WNC. Taylor saw that mindset in action. “We never got bogged down in partisan politics or ideology. We both recognized it was not a Republican or Democrat problem or a conservative or liberal problem. It was a regional problem,” said Taylor. “Sometimes people get so focused on political affiliation or party lines that it makes it hard to move forward, but that’s not the case with John. That’s a great part of his character. He is a true example of a leader who will work with whatever political party is in power in a given year.” Shuler, the Democrat now representing the region in Congress, agreed. “Over his years as chancellor, Dr. Bardo has shown an ability to work with elected officials, regardless of anyone’s political affiliation. He has embraced the philosophy that the most important thing is what is right for our university, our community, our state and our nation. He has taken that and worked successfully for the benefit of the university and the region it serves,” Shuler said. Much of that effort has revolved around improving WCU’s relationship with the nearby Native American community of Cherokee, including the formation of a task force of university and tribal leaders dedicated to working together on projects to improve educational and economic opportunities for the Cherokee people. “The relationship between WCU and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is through the dedication of Chancellor Bardo and his willingness to work with us on many major initiatives,” said Michell Hicks ’87, principal chief of the Eastern Band. “I have the utmost respect for his willingness to work with our tribe to foster open communication.” Unfinished Business As the end of an era at WCU approaches, Bardo admits that he will be leaving some unfinished business for his successor, although, as he says, “There’s only so much one can do in a 16-year run.” Those items include an examination of the number of academic specializations the university offers; reducing the unnecessary expansion of the hours required to graduate from some programs, a phenomenon called “curriculum creep”; improvements to the graduation rate so more students can graduate within four years; and the continued evolution of the Millennial Initiative. There’s also the matter of an athletics program that has fans hoping for better days. Bardo said he understands the frustrations. “We made very significant investments in athletics during my time here, but we have not solved the issue of costs increasing faster than income,” he said. “WCU’s athletics fees are high compared to other UNC campuses, so it will be important for people who are interested in athletics to continue to increase their support. Athletics is the ‘front porch’ of the university and it will be very important for the next chancellor to be able to find ways to enhance athletic performance.” Winter 2011 | 23 Despite the handful of tasks not yet completed, Bardo will be remembered for what he has accomplished, and for a leadership style that is “visionary, bold, energetic, comprehensive and intelligent,” said Gurney Chambers ’61, who has worked for 10 of Western Carolina’s 13 presidents and chancellors. Others agree. Shuler, whose path to Congress began in nearby Swain County, said that WCU has reached new levels of excellence. “Dr. Bardo has led such an incredible transformation of Western Carolina University, from its aesthetics with all of the changes in the center of campus and addition of beautiful new buildings, to improvements in its academic quality and its curriculum. As a native of Western North Carolina, it has been phenomenal to see all that has transpired under Dr. Bardo’s leadership,” Shuler said. Jim Buchanan ’83, editorial page editor of the Asheville Citizen-Times, has written extensively about the changes he has seen as his alma mater, a place where his daughter is now a student in the Honors College. “I’ve been impressed by what has happened in Cullowhee, especially regarding the university’s more rigorous academic standards and aspirations, and of course the well-targeted growth in both infrastructure and student body,” said Buchanan. “I think it is safe to say John Bardo will be remembered as a truly transformative chancellor in the mold of Cotton Robinson. The place is simply at a whole new level from where it was upon his arrival.” Perhaps it is summed up best by Chambers, retired dean of WCU’s College of Education and Allied Professions, a man who has been a student, professor, administrator and benefactor of the university and who has spent 50 of the last 54 years either witnessing closely or participating directly in the university’s growth and development. “As we now face a change in the leadership of the university, it is appropriate to reflect on the John Bardo era and to express our appreciation for the leadership he has provided,” he said. “From my perspective, there is no other 16-year period in the history of the university that is as worthy of applause and celebration by students, faculty members, graduates, friends and community leaders as the Bardo era.” Bardo gets a boisterous reception from students at a 2010 Catamount basketball game. 24 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University pride to pasadena { january 1, 2011 } magazine.wcu.edu Band members worked and played in California, performing in the Tournament of Roses Bandfest (above) at Pasadena City College and enjoying them-selves at the landmark Santa Monica Pier (opposite). Although brief, the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band’s TV appearance in the Rose Parade on Jan. 1 was long enough to keep a promise to rock the world. As more than 1 billion people watched from 200-plus countries and territories, the band marched through Pasadena, Calif., performing “You” by California horn-band Suburban Legends, the WCU fight song and the Ozzy Osbourne hit “I Don’t Wanna Stop.” About 1 million spectators lined the streets along the 5.5-mile parade route, creating what band members described as a sea of humanity. “You could hear them yelling for us,” said Rachel Rimmer, a senior band staff coordinator from Siler City majoring in music education. “When we were allowed to take a break, our drumline was high-fiving kids, and we were talking to people in the crowd.” At one point, a WCU percussionist lent his drumsticks to a spectator, and the boy’s drumming won applause not only from the band but also from the crowd. Within days, more than 77,000 votes were cast at KTLA.com for WCU as the favorite band in the parade, and the Pride won the poll. (See related story on special section page 8.) By TERESA KILIAN TATE Hitting the High Notes 2 | Pride of the Mountains “When I would wave, as many as 70 people might wave back,” said Bob Buckner ’67, director of the band. “And even though we were 2,500 miles from Cullowhee, when we played the fight song, people chanted ‘Go Western.’ I got pretty emotional. I was just so proud about being from WCU.” A Tradition of Innovation When halftime announcer Ryan Hipps ’00 surprised everyone at E.J. Whitmire Stadium on Oct. 24, 2009, with news of the Rose Parade invitation, band members struggled to stay at attention. “The Pride of the Mountains has been selected, invited and is going to represent Western Carolina University and the great state of North Carolina in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California!” said Hipps. Based on musical talent, entertainment value, perfor-mance skill and directorship, the invitation to march in the parade was one of two extended to U.S. collegiate bands not accompanying teams to the Rose Bowl. The announcement came during the presentation to WCU of the nation’s ultimate honor for college and university bands, the Sudler Trophy, considered the “Heisman Trophy” of the marching band world. Under the direction of Buckner, Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 and Jon Henson ’05 MA ’07, the Pride had earned the nickname the “world’s largest funk-rock band.” Its high-energy marching band shows are anything but traditional, featuring electric guitars, synthesizers and vocalists. For the most recent show, “Rock U,” freshman Ezra G. Byrd played bagpipes to open Kid Rock’s song “Bawitdaba.” Later, sophomore Whitney Collins sang AC/DC’s “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution” while standing on a life-sized prop shaped like the letter “U.” “It’s like a rush of energy,” said Collins. For music arranger Bill Locklear, the Pride’s instrumentation gives the music a completely different dimension, and the band’s musicianship is impressive. “Anything that I can write, it doesn’t matter how difficult it is, these kids can play,” he said. When Locklear saw the Pride perform in the fall during its fifth appearance at the Bands of America Super Regional Championship in Atlanta, he was taken by surprise. “It sounded so fresh that it took awhile for it to come back that I had written some of that,” he said. Henley said trying new things is just part of the band’s tradition. “Our tradition is innovation and we’re not slowing down,” he said. “Our foot is squarely on the gas pedal.” Stepping It Up Although the band had performed at a range of prestigious regional and national events, the Rose Parade presented more physical and logistical challenges than ever before. Physically, bandsmen had to have the endurance to perform the field show and, two days later, march nearly 6 miles. To chart their progress as they stepped up their physical activity, students wore pedometers for 10 weeks in the fall and logged more than 260 million steps. The mellophone section alone racked up an average of 108,099 footsteps per member in the 10th week, and one member, Cole Watkins, lost 65 pounds after he started running to build up his stamina. “In the parade, endurance is a big factor,” said Watkins. For sophomore trumpeter Kirby Black-welder, increasing her stretching routine in preparation was critical because of muscle weakness as a result of having mild cerebral palsy. “Last year, I was not sure I was going to make it through the entire season,” said Blackwelder. “It was much more intense than I was used to in high school, but the challenge made every football game and every performance more special.” The band even practiced marching the length of the parade on a closed stretch of Highway 107 near campus on a Sunday afternoon in December. Logistically, the trip required flying band members to California and transporting luggage, instruments and equipment across the country in addition to handling lodging, meals and busing in and around the congested Los Angeles area. To raise money for the nearly $640,000 trip, students “passed the hat” at home football games; sold golf shirts, T-shirts, lapel pins, wristbands and other items; and solicited contributions from friends and family members. The band also raised money by offering donors at the level of $1,000 or more the opportunity to direct a performance or receive a photo of the band forming the donor’s name on the field. In two hours on Dec. 17, in near-freezing temperatures, the band spelled and photographed the names of 24 major sponsors whose gifts totaled about Rose Parade 2011 | 3 $60,000. (See the video at magazine.wcu. edu.) Among the sponsors were businesses such as AT&T, which was the largest private contributor, and supporters, fans and alumni such as Pat Blanton Kaemmerling ’71 and husband David Kaemmerling, who said they recognized the band’s hard work and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the trip offered students. “This type of experience can open a student’s mind to new horizons and can be a turning point in a student’s life,” she said. Others such as Jimmy Crocker donated their time and talents. Crocker, a band parent as well as the son of one of Buckner’s high school band directors, volunteered and recruited other volunteers to drive three trucks of the band’s equipment, luggage and instruments across the country and back – a move that saved an estimated $40,000 in baggage fees. Their journey began earlier than planned when snow blanketed Western North Carolina, and drivers spent Christmas Day morning putting chains on the tires and coordinating with snowplows to move the trucks for what would be a slow, snowy start the following morning to their three-day journey west. “We couldn’t even get to the trucks when we first got there,” said Crocker. For the Love of Marching Band Jeff Throop, Tournament of Roses president, predicted during a September visit to WCU that the Pride was going to “blow everybody away” at the event’s Bandfest. Indeed, on Dec. 30, the Pride’s performance of “Rock U” received a standing ovation as well as high praise from strangers-become-friends – the family and former band director of the late Ryan Dallas Cook. WCU’s band directors never met Cook, who was a 23-year-old trombone player in the high-energy California ska band Suburban Legends when he died in a 2005 traffic accident. They had only heard about him and how Suburban Legends held a concert in his honor to benefit Cook’s high school marching band because of how much marching band had contributed to Cook’s love of music. Moved, WCU directors sought and received permission to perform a song Cook co-wrote in the Rose Parade. “We were excited to get to play ‘You’ in Dallas’ memory and send the message of a love for marching band from coast to coast,” said Henley. They also reached out to build a friendship with Suburban Legends, Cook’s high school marching band director and his family, and invited them to Bandfest. After all, the parade’s theme for 2011 was “Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories.” After the show, the band presented the Cooks with a WCU clock, and Cook’s father, Carlton, said his son would have loved seeing the Pride perform. “It was so moving and very powerful,” said Cook. “It was really nice they were last, because no band would want to follow that. When they came on – the mere size – they blew everybody away with just the intensity of the music and how well the sound came out. It’s hard to get good sound when you are moving around. They just did it so wonderfully.” Two days later, the sight of so many people at the parade, especially as the band turned the sharp, 110-degree turn onto Colorado Boulevard, was incredible, members said. Whitney Hinceman, a senior piccolo player from Mooresville, described the excitement and the interaction – how parade-goers would run out to take pictures with the band or kids would warn them not to step in horse droppings. Every member of the Pride who started the Rose Parade finished, still fired up, said Buckner. Betty Allen ’68, president of the WCU Alumni Association, said the Pride’s performance in the parade exceeded her high expectations. “I was just in awe,” said Allen, who later joined friends, alumni and family lining the hallway at the band’s hotel to greet members with a welcome worthy of champions. Richard Huffman, a senior trombone player from Hickory, described the entire experience as an amazing way to finish his marching band career. “It’s been really emotional, seeing everyone clapping when we got back,” said Huffman. “We’re always going to be able to say ‘I was in the Rose Parade. I remember that corner. I remember seeing those people.’ I will always have that.” The day before visiting Santa Monica (above left, top and bottom), band members spotted a big green celebrity in Hollywood. 4 | Pride of the Mountains Wet to the bone, Hayesville resident Phil Honsinger climbed to the top of the west-side stands of E.J. Whitmire Stadium after a rainy, windy football game to record the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band’s last show in 2006. “I was shaking as I filmed,” said Honsinger, who felt the real blow later when someone else was introduced as the band’s “No. 1 fan.” “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I’m the No. 1 fan.’ After all, this was my 68th consecutive videotaping of the Pride of the Mountains,” he said. Honsinger first saw the Pride perform in 1996 at his son’s high school band competition. “You would have thought Hayesville’s band had just won the Super Bowl the way they reacted when the horns from the Pride of the Mountains let it rip,” said Honsinger. “Man, what a show.” When daughter Lauren Honsinger ’07 joined the Pride, his fandom escalated into an obsession that continues today, he said. He made a point to attend shows – big or small, planned or last-minute, near or far. Honsinger went to exhibitions in Indianapolis, as well as to Pride performances at high schools throughout the region. At a special weeknight performance planned NO.1 By TERESA KILIAN TATE Phil Honsinger, with daughter Lauren Honsinger ’07 in Los Angeles, calls the band’s Rose Parade performance ‘the time of my life.’ Photo courtesy of Jimmy Honsinger for a few dozen guests from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors in 2008, assistant director Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 walked in the dark, mostly empty stadium to prepare when he was surprised by a shadowy figure. “It scared me, and I stopped in my tracks,” said Henley. “Then I heard Phil say, ‘Hey Matt.’ I just laughed out loud. I said, ‘You really are the No. 1 fan.’ It’s extremely cool to have people like Phil who are so dedicated to the band.” A dedicated Honsinger traveled to Califor-nia with family for the Tournament of Roses Bandfest – a show he worried he might miss because of a bus breakdown. He calmly told tour company officials that he was the Pride’s No. 1 fan (although he admits there are other obsessed Pride fans, too.) “I asked them, ‘Do you know how one gets to be the No. 1 fan?’ They just looked at me with blank faces. I told them about the 137 consecutive marching band shows and about how today was going to be the 138th show. I asked them if the bus would be coming in time to keep the string going. I said, ‘I know there will come a time when I will not make it to watch the Pride of the Mountains shows. I know there will be a time when my string will end.’” The tour company manager replied, “Not on my watch will you miss a show,” said Honsinger, who made it to Bandfest in time. Two days later, he faced a 3 a.m. wake-up call, packed crowds and scarce bathrooms to get to the stands at the Rose Parade. The cheering for the Pride had never been louder, and the group had never looked quite as bold as they did that day, he said. “The gold was gleaming in the sunlight and their instruments were polished to a sparkling shine,” said Honsinger. “When our band marched by, it was such a climax to the season, and it was over far too quickly. It was the time of my life.” fan Band supporter keeps string alive with California performances Rose Parade 2011 | 5 Summer music camp at Western Carolina in the 1960s captivated a high school-aged Bob Buckner ’67, confirming his belief that his decision to play football instead of joining the band in seventh grade was a huge mistake. Fortunately, for the thousands of students who would someday march under Buckner’s direction, and for the band that has achieved national prestige under his leadership, he remedied the situation at the first opportunity. “They needed someone big enough to carry the bass drum in the Canton Labor Day Parade, and my friends drafted me,” said Buckner, a native of Waynesville. “By the time I was in 10th grade, I loved the sounds I was hearing when I walked in the band room. I loved the atmosphere and the people.” When Buckner enrolled at Western Carolina, he was intent on becoming a band director. Classmates and friends such as John Anderson ’67 MAEd ’71, who played in jazz band and marching band with Buckner, had no doubt that he would – and that he would succeed. As a musician, Buckner had the skill to “triple-tongue” a tuba, Anderson said. As a student, Buckner asked in-depth After success at the Tournament of Roses, WCU’s longtime band director surveys his career By TERESA KILIAN TATE PARADE REST questions about even the smallest markings in the music. As a friend, he was fun and serious – the kind not only to joke around but also to have long conversations about life. Even before graduation, Buckner landed his first job as a band director when he was asked to fill in temporarily at Sylva-Webster High School. He had 12 students on the first day, and three dropped out after Buckner shared his vision for the group – a vision that one student told him seemed a lot like work. For Catherine Dillard ’87, one of his first students, it was work but also a life-defining experience, she said. When Dillard graduated, the band had grown to about 50 members. Marching band styles were changing, and Buckner introduced a less traditional, more artistic style to the group. Six years after he took the helm, the band claimed honors in a Festival of States competition. Seven years after that, it became the smallest group to be named the nation’s best at a Bands of America competition. Buckner left Sylva-Webster to work full time at his band design and consulting firm, United Music Enterprises. He worked across magazine.wcu.edu 6 | Pride of the Mountains the nation and in Canada and Europe as a drill designer, guest conductor or clinician. Clients ranged from the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps to the Walt Disney Co. He served the Bands of America organization – judging competitions, helping develop national events and competition formats, and serving as symposium faculty and member of a range of committees. “Bob’s fingerprints are all over Bands of America,” said Scott McCormick from BOA in recognizing Buckner in 2005 during his induction to the organization’s Hall of Fame. In 1991, WCU offered him a job directing the marching band, but Buckner had already committed to a job at East Tennessee State University. He thought he would have to say no, but as he and wife Donna examined practice and performance times, they realized that the ETSU and WCU schedules did not overlap. So Buckner, a father of five, directed both – maintaining a hectic working and commuting schedule, one not necessarily unwelcome as he coped with the grief of losing son Michael to a fatal heart attack. Among Buckner’s goals was to build on the family atmosphere he had come to love as a member of Western Carolina’s band in the 1960s, and that’s what it’s like today, said Billie Jeanne Curns, a senior music education major from Hayesville. “He knows people in band by first name, which is huge because there are 400 of us,” said Curns, part of a student leadership program so strong Buckner occasionally jokes he’s not sure the group needs directors. “No matter how hard a practice is, we know he’s there for us. He has an open-door policy, and students come in just to talk to him.” Another goal was to transform the band into a sophisticated rock ’n’ roll group. “My idea was to develop a band that everyone is going to relate to in some way – with a lot of movement, choreography and really good arrangements of music people will recognize,” said Buckner. The group incorporated nontraditional marching band elements, such as electric guitars and vocalists, and earned a reputation as “the world’s largest funk-rock band.” Membership grew in two decades from fewer than 90 members to more than 400, thanks to tremendous support from fans such as Chancellor John W. Bardo. The chancellor, who was instrumental in changing the group’s name from the Marching Cats to the Pride of the Mountains, would conclude his band pep talks by asking, “What band is this?,” prompting the response “The best damn band anywhere!” “And don’t you forget it!” Bardo would say. Prior to the 2011 Rose Parade, the band had performed five times at Bands of America regional championships at the Georgia Dome and three times at BOA Grand Nationals in Indianapolis. It has played at halftime at an Atlanta Falcons game and its drumline took the stage with country music’s Keith Urban. In 2009, the band received the Sudler Trophy, which the Sousa Foundation says it awards to “collegiate marching bands of particular excellence that have made outstanding contributions to the American way of life.” Meanwhile for Buckner, MENC: The National Association for Music Education in 2005 honored him as a Lowell Mason Fellow, and Drum Corps International and MENC in 2009 presented him with the Excellence in Marching Music Education Award. With retirement in July, Buckner is looking forward to devoting more time to other interests, particularly his six grandchildren (although some of them are sad this is the last year “Bobbo” will have his own band). For Buckner, the sense of so many “lasts” – the last football game, the last rehearsal, the last field show, the last performance – did not sink in until the Rose Parade. “I remember looking at the memorial flag we carried in the parade and being so glad we had done that – that we carried the memory of those students with us,” said Buckner of the band’s purple-and-white flag with one star each for the five students who have died while members of the band. “I remember From left, Bob Buckner ’67 and band member Lizzie Morantz ’10, who came to WCU from Illinois to work with Buckner, share a laugh during a 2008 band rehearsal; Buckner takes the stand during a Catamount football halftime show; and Buckner celebrates the band’s 2009 Sudler Trophy with assistant band directors Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 and Jon Henson ’05 MA ’07. Just a couple of softies, Buckner and Paws (opposite page) share a cuddle. looking across the street and seeing Donna walking on the other side, and thinking how special it was that we got to share that and how much she has contributed to the band, much that only members of our staff and color guard would ever know. (Assistant band directors) Matt Henley ’93 MA ’95 and Jon Henson ’05 MA ’07 and I tried to keep eye contact through the parade, and I remember thinking how incredible it was that we had such a great team of people who care like I do, who really have invested themselves in the university and in the students. I remember thinking about my high school directors and my college band director and thinking how cool they would have thought this was, and how they had contributed to my life.” At the band banquet just hours after the parade, students shared how Buckner had contributed to theirs. Keith Marwitz, a senior tenor saxophone player from Indian Trail, remembered his talk with Buckner after showing up late. “I have never been late again,” Marwitz said. Drum major Amy Shuford from Waynesville recalled how she was rehearsing years before she came to WCU when Buckner approached and said he wanted her in his band. “I just want to let you know I still have your business card in my wallet,” said Shuford. Band alumna Kate Murphy ’06, who works at WCU and instructs the color guard, read a letter she wrote to Buckner in which she said the band makes her heart explode with purple and gold. “You make nonband people fall in love with us,” said Murphy. Rose Parade 2011 | 7 The Tournament of Roses Parade crowds dispersed and traffic resumed on Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard shortly before noon New Year’s Day. Spirited marching along the parade route was over, but a virtual battle of the bands was about to begin online. Within the hour, television station KTLA of Los Angeles was inviting visitors to its website to choose their favorite Rose Parade band from the roster of 23 units from across the nation that had performed. Anyone with Internet access and a computer, cell phone or other digital device could click and cast a vote. KTLA hosted online voting for best float in previous years, but this was the first favorite band competition. “We wanted to create something fun for the bands, especially because the floats usually grab most of the attention,” said Jeremy D. Horowitz, senior producer for digital media at KTLA-TV. The poll’s popularity far exceeded expecta-tions of the station, which kept it open for three days and received a total of 178,721 votes. WCU’s Pride of the Mountains claimed an early lead – and 40 percent of the total votes – despite gains by All-Birdsville ISD Marching Band of Haltom, Texas, in Social media helps Pride of Mountains claim ‘best band�� title By CHRISTY MARTIN ’71 MA ’78 Viewer’s Choice Original photo courtesy of Jolesch Photography the suspenseful final hours before the poll was closed and WCU’s band declared best in the parade. “WCU had more than 72,000 votes. That’s more than the total votes cast in any of our previous float polls. I know Texas boasts about making things big, but clearly some things in Cullowhee are even bigger,” said Horowitz. Moments after the poll opened, WCU’s public relations staff members posted links to KTLA’s poll on social media websites, including Facebook and Twitter, and roseparade.wcu.edu, a university Web page created to host band updates and news. They also alerted regional news media, including the Asheville Citizen- Times, Smoky Mountain News and WLOS-TV in Asheville, which in turn posted links on their own websites taking visitors directly to the voting site, with reporters sharing the links through their own Facebook and Twitter accounts. Statistics aren��t available on where the votes actually came from, but there’s no doubt that the massive show of support for WCU’s band came about because of online conversations back home in North Carolina while the poll was under way in California. Networks of friends and friends of those friends adroitly used Facebook and Twitter to get out the vote. Sarah Kucharski of Canton, who grew up in Cullowhee and has close ties to WCU, was among the fans who monitored the poll closely, crafting Facebook posts and Twitter tweets to encourage potential voters. “Ultimately, our band won because enough people cared and wanted to make this happen for its members,” Kucharski said. “That’s the sweetest victory of all.” WCU’s online social networks Become a fan at www.facebook.com/westerncarolinauniversity. If you attended WCU and want to find out about reunions and other events for alumni, go to www.facebook.com/wcualumni. Other WCU sites are www.twitter.com/wcu and www.youtube.com/westerncarolinau. 8 | Pride of the Mountains magazine.wcu.edu Music faculty members say farewell to an old friend in a bid to become an ‘All-Steinway School.’ An old friend of the School of Music is retiring after decades of service to the university community. This time, we’re not talking about Robert Holquist, the longtime director of choral activities stepping down from behind the podium this year, or Bob Buckner ’67, who is hanging up his marching shoes after leading the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band to the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade. (See related story on special section page 6.) The retiree in question is an older Steinway model that has been providing musical accompaniment for music faculty, student and ensemble recitals for the past 34 years. Taking its place on stage is a recently obtained instrument made by acclaimed manufacturer Steinway & Sons, widely regarded for crafting the finest pianos in the world. The 9-foot “D” concert grand piano is the first new piano of any kind for the School of Music in more than 23 years, said P. Bradley Ulrich, professor of music. “We are hoping this will be the first of many new pianos in the School of Music as we hope to someday become the first ‘All-Steinway School’ in the University of North Carolina system. This would truly be a mark of distinction,” said Ulrich. As the name implies, institutions are designated as All-Steinway Schools for using only pianos designed by Steinway & Sons, from the practice room to the recital hall. THE IVORIES TOWER The latest addition to the School of Music goes by the name of ‘Steinway’ By BIL STUDENC MPA ’10 The designation would entail replacing approximately 50 pianos with Steinway or models from the Steinway line. The piano was scheduled to give its concert debut performance this winter in a concert titled “Steinway Our Way,” featuring a variety of musical styles with WCU faculty pianists. Proceeds from ticket sales from the concert and contributions from friends of the School of Music go toward the newly established Steinway Piano Fund. The fund is designed help the School of Music in its goal of becoming an All-Steinway School, said Robert Kehrberg, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts. “Our faculty and students provide more than 250 cultural events annually through concerts, master classes and engagement activities within the communities they serve, and they deserve the finest instrument available,” Kehrberg said. “The faculty have international professional credentials and work as performing artists within the region, across the state and nationally. They are the finest musicians I have ever worked with.” To learn how to contribute to the Steinway Piano Fund, contact Meg White, director of development, at 828.227.3343 or mawhite@wcu.edu. Winter 2011 | 25 Bobby Moranda’s mantra nowadays is a combination of Larry the Cable Guy’s “git-r-done” and the Lowe’s home improvement company’s “let’s build something together.” Moranda, preparing for his fourth season as Western Carolina’s head baseball coach, is directing a massive renovation of Childress Field/Hennon Stadium worthy of an episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home (Plate) Edition.” “The renovation project is critical to the future success of our proud baseball program,” Moranda said. “The appearance and functionality of the playing field and stadium are what recruits want to see first and use to gauge a program. It can be a source of pride for players, fans and the community.” Although WCU’s baseball facilities once were the envy of the Southern Conference, opposing programs have upgraded with modern, attractive places to play, he said. “When we have brought prospects on campus in the past, we would take them to the new dining hall, Campus Recreation Center, Hinds University Center and the new residence halls – which all are gorgeous – and then the last stop would be the baseball stadium, which did not make the same type of impression as the remainder of our campus,” he said. Moranda and his wife of 17 years, Pamela, started the renovation project when they awoke on July 10 and agreed that “something has to be done about the baseball facility.” Later that day, they began working in the dugouts, ripping out the rotting, molding carpet and adding fresh paint. Since then, the project has taken off with involvement from the corporate level to individuals who have contributed finances, materials, and time and talent, said Chip Smith, director of athletics. “Coach Moranda has done a superb job in jump-starting these much-needed improvements to our baseball facility,” said Smith. “We appreciate the financial support and leadership roles of the many people who helped make this renovation project a reality.” the power of purple one goal field day Bobby Moranda mounts a major renovation of WCU’s baseball facilities, with a little help from his friends By steve white ’67 magazine.wcu.edu 26 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Following the dugouts upgrade, the entire stadium was painted to make the old block work resemble red brick and trimmed with ivy green paint that matches the new roofing throughout the stadium. Next was new lower-level seating, as the stadium was moved 14 feet closer to home plate to accommodate two rows of new chair-back seats. A 36-inch wall now extends between the dugouts in front of new Yankee Stadium-style slatted seats. Major League-style chair-back seats will replace old chairs in the grandstand, and the metal bleachers will be covered with molded plastic seating. In addition, a new Major League-quality backstop net stretches 156 feet in front of the grandstand seating, and the rusted grandstand roof has been replaced. The concession stand and rest rooms have been repainted and roofed in the red brick and ivy green color scheme, and the batting cage roof has been replaced. Dugout benches have been replaced, new protective netting installed, and new bins built for storage. A 48-inch brick wall will stretch from each dugout to the outfield fence down the left- and right-field lines. A “batter’s eye” has been attached to the center-field fence and the “Purple Monster” in left field has been repainted. Moranda also has several other projects either under way, in the planning stages or on his radar. They include a courtyard behind the third-base seats that will feature a sitting wall, pavers, planters, outdoor grill and extensive landscaping; refencing of the entire facility; a brick wall around the present batting facility; a new pitcher training area; a wrought iron and red brick entrance; and an earth berm viewing area outside the right-field fence for WCU students. In addition, the chair back seats removed from the grandstand area will be repainted ivy green and placed along the right-field line. The history of WCU baseball will be depicted with a series of large mural-type posters that will adorn the grandstand entrance areas. On the wish list is a clubhouse that will house a locker room, offices, player lounge, legacy room, weight room and video room. “There are so many who had a hand in this project by stepping up to the plate with their expertise, donation of materials, labor, cooperation and financial backing,” said Moranda, who singled out Dave Steed ’73, retired Lowe’s Inc. senior vice president for general merchandising, as a key player. “He was behind the donation of a staggering amount of building material and supplies, and got numerous vendors to supply everything from paint to bricks to roofing. I got to know everyone at the Sylva and Franklin Lowe’s stores on a first-name basis.” The renovation project would not be possible without the contributions of many businesses and individuals, including assistant coaches, players, benefactors, WCU staff and members of the 1002 Club, the boosters organization formed to help the Catamount baseball team reach the College World Series, played 1,002 miles from Cullowhee in Omaha, Neb. “We don’t have to have the biggest facility, but we want a first-class facility that everyone involved with WCU and its baseball program can be proud of,” Moranda said. “I think we are on our way to achieving that goal.” Coach Bobby Moranda and wife Pamela (opposite), in upgraded stands, initiated the stadium renovation. Above, clockwise from top left, Moranda and Mackie McKay, a contractor who helped with the project; the stadium before and after 200 gallons of brick red and ivy green paint; upgrades to the batting cage; building a wall down the first baseline; laying a walkway behind the stadium; and ticket office roofing that matches the color scheme of other new buildings on campus. Winter 2011 | 27 pals for the long run An enduring friendship is the impetus behind a new endowed scholarship fund for WCU’s track and cross country programs By randall holcombe the power of purple one goal The late Terry Helms ’73 was Western Carolina’s first big running star. A native of Kannapolis, Helms ran track and cross country in Cullowhee from 1968 through 1972. “Terry was the superstar on our first cross-country team in 1968,” said university sports historian Steve White ’67. “In that first season, he won nine of the 11 meets the team entered, set five course records and led the Catamounts to a 25th-place finish in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championship meet. He single-handedly put WCU on the national cross-country map.” Helms continued his running rampage over the next three seasons. In 1969, he won five meets, set three course records, led WCU to the NAIA District 6 championship and finished sixth in the national championship meet, becoming the Catamounts’ first All-American in cross country. Another District 6 championship followed in 1970, with the Catamounts finishing 15th in the national championship meet, and the team recorded a 13th-place national finish the following year. On the track and field side, Helms won 15 individual championships in four seasons and helped lead the Catamounts to three district championships, White said. An education major, Helms went on to a 32-year teaching career, including 26 years at Ledford Middle School in Thomasville. He retired in 2007 and died in 2008 after contracting mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Now, to honor Helms’ impact on WCU’s track and cross country programs and their longtime friendship, a former teammate and roommate from Helms’ years at WCU, Gaither Keener ’72, and his wife, Beverly Keener, have created an endowed scholarship fund that will benefit WCU athletes for perpetuity. Gaither Keener ’72 (above, second from right) and his wife have created an endowed scholarship in memory of the late Terry Helms ’73, a WCU track and cross country standout (opposite page). With Keener are (from left) Brian Frerking, WCU associate athletic director; Olivia Jacobs, the scholarship’s first recipient; and coach Danny Williamson ’84 MAEd ’86. 28 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University Danny Williamson ’84 MAEd ’86 has an undeniable knack for influencing young people, as evidenced by the 18 Southern Conference track and field championship trophies his teams have hoisted in his 25 years as Western Carolina University’s most successful head coach. Add making friends in high places to his list of talents, as Williamson has piqued the interest of one of the nation’s most benevolent track and field fans and a top supporter of higher education in North Carolina. Irwin “Ike” Belk and the Belk Foundation recently issued Williamson and WCU’s track and field program a check in the amount of $100,000. Williamson has written Belk (inset, receiving an honorary doctorate from WCU in 1999) for several years to thank him for his support of track and field in North Carolina, and would occasionally include WCU apparel. “Last summer, I asked about the possibility of financial support and he responded with a wonderful gift,” Williamson said. “Mr. Belk’s generosity will allow us to continue to grow our scholarship program, purchase new equipment and generally enhance our program in many areas.” Belk, retired president of the Belk Inc. retail chain, former member of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors and a former member of North Carolina’s Senate and House, has donated millions to colleges and universities in the Carolinas. Belk’s latest is the fourth substantial gift to WCU. The Carol Grotnes Belk Building was named to honor his wife, followed by the establishment of the $1 million Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professorship in Commercial and Electronic Media. Another gift commissioned the Catamount sculpture that sits at the main entrance of the campus. Belk’s affection for track and field led him to assist with the building of more than 100 track and field facilities around the nation. He also has donated millions to the United States Olympic Committee and has served on that governing board. on track Irwin Belk makes a contribution to WCU’s athletics program By steve white ’67 The Terry M. Helms Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide scholarship support for one WCU track or cross country distance runner each year. The first scholarship from the fund was presented in the fall to Olivia Jacobs, who hails from Helms’ hometown of Kannapolis. Reflecting on his 40-year friendship with Helms, Keener recalls more than just Helms’ athletic exploits. Although Keener and Helms had competed against each other as high school track athletes, their friendship blossomed in 1968, when they found themselves living on the same wing of Moore Hall. “Terry was a good Christian person with a passion for running, dancing and Motown music,” Keener said. “He always had a smile on his face, and girls loved to flock around him. Everybody loved Terry.” Keener and Helms became roommates at WCU, and in the following decades their friendship continued as Keener earned a law degree and began his career as an attorney. Keener now works as the top attorney for Lowe’s, the home improvement giant based out of Mooresville. “Terry took me to my first NASCAR race and taught me to play golf. He was in my wedding, and I was an usher when he married his wife, Janice (Helms.) Through the years, he always was an upbeat person, even throughout the illness that ended his life,” Keener said. WCU track and cross country coach Danny Williamson ’84 MAEd ’86 said the endowed scholarship fund established by the Keeners is the program’s second. “This will be a tremendous asset for our program, and it will allow us on a yearly basis to pay tribute to one of the best who ever competed for WCU,” Williamson said. Winter 2011 | 29 The unsung heroes on the sidelines and in the press box are some of WCU’s biggest fans By christy martin ’71 ma ’78 labor of love Working on the sidelines at Western Carolina University’s athletic events are a resort manager, media company president, community college instructor, elementary schoolteacher, outdoor advertising executive and retired school system administrator, to name a few. Ranging in age from barely 30-something to well into their 50s, they converge on Cullowhee for game days from a variety of towns west of Asheville. A tight-knit group with a shared love of Catamount athletics, they are among WCU’s most vocal fans. They are the ones at the microphones, making the announcements carried from high overhead at the football stadium and courtside in the basketball arena. Listeners who tune in to games aired on radio stations in the mountain region and upstate South Carolina and online via the Catamount Sports Network at www.catamountsports.com know them, too. Announcers, broadcasters, color commentators and sidelines reporters, they’re the unsung heroes of the games. Long before the players, coaches and spectators arrive, sideline workers are already in the press box busy with preparations, from practicing the pronunciation of players’ names to writing scripts for the public-address system to testing microphones and video equipment. There are dozens of chores, and they are tireless workers, devoting hundreds of hours to temporary jobs that most say they’ll never give up, not for the nominal wage they earn from the athletics department, but for the chance to be close to the action. “The majority of us just love WCU and what the athletics program has done for young people,” said Steven Crumpler of Penrose, assistant innkeeper of the Swag Country Inn of Waynesville. “Sometimes it’s athletic ability that has made it possible for a player to attend college. And they come here, excel in their sport and go on to greater things.” Crumpler works as play-by-play announcer for women’s basketball and is a producer and engineer for football broadcasts. He became involved with athletics 10 years ago as a program director on the campus radio station WWCU-FM. “When I first stepped on campus, WCU became my team forever,” he said. “I don’t cheer for anybody else.” Ryan Hipps ’00 of Waynesville and Greg McLamb ’00 of Franklin also worked as students together doing sports broadcasting at WWCU. Their athletics ties have only grown stronger through the years. Hipps, who is president of Stress Free Productions of Waynesville, has been a public-address announcer for multiple sports. He also produces many video projects for athletics, including women’s basketball videos, a coaches’ TV show, “signing day” video coverage, and segments for the new PurpleVision video scoreboard in the football stadium. the power of purple one goal magazine.wcu.edu 30 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University McLamb, history instructor at Haywood Community College in Clyde, is the intrepid sidelines reporter, always ready with a microphone to give updates when there are player injuries or halftime interviews with coaches. “You see up close the sweat, tears, and the blood – literally – that the players are giving in the game. Working on the sidelines has given me great appreciation for them, for sports and for Western Carolina,” he said. In the past 20 years, Phil Woody ’75, language-arts teacher at Scotts Creek Elementary School in Sylva, has covered 590 basketball games and 64 football games in an assortment of roles that have ranged from doing the football drive-chart records in the 1980s before computers were available, to public-address announcing for football and men’s basketball, spotting, radio broadcasting and, currently, managing the scoreboard clock for basketball. “It gets really hectic on the sidelines sometimes, but we help each other out,” Woody said. “Our jobs are a lot of fun, and every one of them is important.” Woody is a former radio announcer who in the past worked with Gary Ayers at WBHN Radio in Bryson City. Ayers, president of Allison Outdoor Advertising of Sylva, is known as “The Voice of the Catamounts.” He has been doing radio broadcasts and public-address announcing for WCU for more than a quarter century. Tim Amos ’77 MBA ’82 and Britt Amos ’06, are a father-and- son team from Asheville whose work was instrumental in the premiere last fall of the video scoreboard. The elder Amos, retired assistant superintendent of Asheville City Schools, is a longtime audio and video hobbyist who worked as a radio announcer for WCU athletics in the late 1990s. “I’ve been a supporter of Western Carolina forever, and I always hope for success for the teams,” he said. “I just enjoy going to the games and working with the great people over there.” Daniel Hooker ’01, assistant athletics director for media relations, said the sidelines workers are one of the department’s greatest assets. “I’m continually amazed at the contributions made by so many. They love the university and enjoy giving back in any way they can. There is no question that without their dedicated service, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish all that we do.” Hooker’s predecessor agrees. “They’re WCU’s greatest fans,” said Steve White ’67, retired director of sports information. “It’s in their blood.” Clyde Simmons ’96 is on the short list of Western Carolina’s greatest football players. Following a college career in which he led the Catamounts to their only appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) title game in 1983, Simmons (right, making a tackle for the Cats) went on to a 15-year NFL career, compiling 1211/2 sacks as a defensive end while playing with Philadelphia, Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati and Jacksonville. He returned in the mid-1990s to earn his degree (left, at commencement with Chancellor John Bardo) and eventually retired from the NFL in 2000. He worked for a mortgage company and was a probation officer, content to be away from football. But last year he got the itch to return and applied for one of the NFL’s minority coaching fellowships. He wound up with the New York Jets because their coach, Buddy Ryan, was familiar with Simmons. “He’s an expert. He’s a guy that clearly the players would look up to and they’d respect,” Ryan recently told the New York Times. “I had him in Arizona, and he was a leader back then for me when I was coaching defensive line. I thought he’d bring that to us, and he has. He’s been outstanding.” Simmons, 46, works with the Jets’ defensive linemen and has been credited with helping them become better pass rushers. “I’ve learned a lot of things just from the little time I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s been a great working atmosphere. These guys come to work every day. I’ve been in places where the coaches don’t get along, and it boils over to the players.” Dennis Thurman, the Jets’ secondary coach, believes Simmons has a future in coaching. “They know you from when you played, but they don’t know your skill set as a coach,” Thurman said of the merits of the fellowship. “You’re a name, but you’re not someone that coaches have had the opportunity to work with. But he does have a measure of respect. They know who he is. If you do not know who he is, then you’re not a real football fan.” Steve White ’67, former sports information director for Western Carolina, is thrilled Simmons is back in the NFL, and that Simmons has been good to his alma mater. “He bought a complete set of uniforms (solid purple) for the team in the mid-90s,” White said. “He also contributed significantly to several special projects and a scholarship fund.” Simmons said in the New York Times story he will stay as long as the Jets will have him. Four NFL head coaches are graduates of the minority fellowship: Marvin Lewis of Cincinnati, Raheem Morris of Tampa Bay, Lovie Smith of Chicago and Mike Tomlin of Pittsburgh. “It’s a great way of getting on-the-job training,” Simmons said. “It builds your résumé. But I’m also enjoying what I’m doing.” Used in edited format with permission of the Asheville Citizen-Times. running the option A former Catamount standout gets his foot in the NFL coaching door through a minority fellowship program By bob berghaus Clockwise from bottom left, Britt Amos ’06 and his father, Tim Amos ’77 MBA ’82, helped premiere the video scoreboard; Steven Crumpler works for women’s basketball and football; Greg McLamb ’00 is a sideline reporter; and Ryan Hipps ’00 produces videos and works the PA for multiple teams. Winter 2011 | 31 alumni Achievements The university has profited from CFO Chuck Wooten’s three decades of service By jill ingram ma ’08 long-term investor 32 | The Magazine of Western Carolina University When Joe Carter, WCU’s longtime chief financial officer, announced his retirement in 2000, Chancellor John Bardo had a clear understanding of what he wanted in the university’s next vice chancellor for administration and finance. “I was absolutely committed to doing a national search, and I was 99 percent sure we would never hire anyone from inside Western Carolina to be the next finance officer, because we needed to really think differently about how we did finance,” Bardo said recently. After a national search, the last man standing was George W. “Chuck” Wooten ’73, not only an alumnus but a WCU employee who for two decades had steadily worked his way up on the business side, and who, in Bardo’s words, “blew everybody else in the pool away.” Wooten, associate vice chancellor at the time, remembers thinking, “Well, I’ve already got 20 years of experience. Why not give me the chance to move up?” But Wooten, whose “positive mental attitude” credo – PMA for short – is well-known among employees, characteristically found a way to appreciate the employment exercise: “In hindsight, it was confirmation that my experience was as good as what the other people were bringing to the table. It validated my being the person who was selected.” Wooten retired Jan. 1 after a decade of unparalleled growth at WCU, accompanied by a rise in applications, enrollment and quality of education. During Wooten’s time as vice chancellor, fueled by millions in state bond money and locally approved debt, WCU doubled the size of its campus with the purchase of 344 acres as part of the Millennial Initiative; built the Fine and Performing Arts Center, Campus Recreation Center, Courtyard Dining Hall and five residence halls; and made improvements to every athletic facility on campus. So rapid was the development that Bardo, speaking at an October ceremony to honor Wooten with the university’s Distinguished Service Award, recalled returning from a two-week vacation to find that “Chuck had moved a road.” Helping develop WCU’s master plan is a career highlight for Wooten, but he calls the “relationships and friendships” the best part of his job. His colleagues return the love. Through the most difficult times – budget cuts, tight deadlines, staff turnover, implementing new systems – Wooten always maintained the highest standards, a calm demeanor, and his beloved PMA, said Jeanine Newman, WCU’s former associate vice chancellor for financial services. “We used to laugh about it, but he really lived that. He modeled it, and that’s contagious,” said Newman, recently named vice chancellor of finance at Sowela Technical Community College in Lake Charles, La. She claims Wooten as a mentor, and they both claim Carter, with whom Wooten worked for 20 years. Succeeding Wooten on an interim basis is internal auditor Robert Edwards ’77. Wooten arrived at WCU as a student after a neighbor suggested he consider attending. He met his wife at WCU, Kathy Goforth Wooten ’72, a cheerleader, whose two sisters, Nancy Goforth Carson ’74 and Cheryl Goforth White ’86, and their husbands, Joe Carson and Mike White ’84, also attended. Wooten returned to WCU as an employee after working as an accountant in the N.C. Department of State Treasurer and then, from 1975-80, as finance officer and then as manager of Iredell County, a demanding position that required late nights and early mornings. “There just never was enough time for anything except work,” said Wooten, whose daughter was born in 1978. (In the midst of work and family, Wooten completed a master’s degree in public administration at Appalachian State University in 1979.) An ad in the Charlotte Observer for controller at WCU caught Wooten’s eye. “The idea of returning to Cullowhee was attractive to both Kathy and me,” he said. Wooten’s commitment to WCU is matched by his commitment to community. He is active with Cullowhee United Methodist Church and the Cullowhee Parks and Community Association and serves on the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority, the board of Givens Estate in Asheville and the advisory board for the Sylva State Employees Credit Union. Upon leaving WCU, Wooten agreed to a six-month interim position as Jackson County manager, and he looks forward to similar assignments ahead. “I don’t plan on going home and propping my feet up. I’m going to do something, but it’s going to be the things I want to do,” he said. The interim position is a good fit for her husband, said Kathy Wooten, who retired as a kindergarten teacher at Fairview Elementary School in Sylva. “He really had many reservations about retiring, and it took him a long time to decide on it. With so much good knowledge that he has, he would want to share it,” she said. Part of what prompted Wooten’s retirement from WCU is what prompted him to seek the job in the first place: his family. Daughter Sally Wooten and her husband, Kevin Queen ’98 MSA ’09, are parents to twin 3-year-old daughters, Ella and Mattie. “Chuck’s life totally changed when he became a grandfather as far as what I saw him get joy from,” Kathy Wooten said. “I fell in love with him all over again, seeing him embrace those two little girls. It’s really been special to watch.” Spending time with his granddaughters, who live in Burke County, before they enter school is a priority for Wooten, as is influencing their decisions related to higher education. “We’re going to work really hard on Ella and Mattie to see if they can be future Catamounts,” he said. Chuck Wooten ’73 says enjoying more time with his family (opposite), including wife Kathy Wooten ’72 and granddaughters Mattie (left) and Ella Queen, is a priority in retirement. As vice chancellor of administration and finance, Wooten was part of a WCU building boom that included the Courtyard Dining Hall, where he spoke at the opening reception (above). magazine.wcu.edu Winter 2011 | 33 What particularly moved Carol Fowler Durham ’76 during her father’s multiple hospitalizations as he battled a rare connective tissue disease was the way the nurses cared for him. “They were making a difference in the lives of not only my father, but also my mother and, in turn, all of us,” said Durham, who was 13 when her father died. “So for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a nurse.” She earned her degree in nursing at Western Carolina and became a practicing nurse, which led her to another calling. Durham, who now holds a master’s degree and doctorate, is an internationally known, award-winning teacher and leader in the field of nursing education. “My undergraduate education at WCU prepared me to be a change agent, to be passionate about patient care and to influence the profession,” she said. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, Durham is a clinical professor. She has served as director since 1988 of the Education-Innovation-Simulation Learning Environment, an award-winning project that is shifting the focus in nursing education from body mechanics to safe patient-handling and movement. In addition, she has been a leader in incorporating human patient simulation |
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