Pursuing their passion in the dramatic arts, VI theatre students Aaron Bradley and Paul Pratt will be using their production and technical design skills in internships this summer at two Virginia theatres.

During a four-month internship at Barter Theatre in Abingdon, junior Aaron Bradley is responsible for sound design and technical theatre for nine different productions on the Barter summer calendar. Bradley has already been involved in tech work for several shows and designed the sounds for The Pied Piper. “This was a fun experience; it was the first show I’ve designed for professional theatre,” says Bradley.

Noting the physical labor and sometimes fifteen-hour days that technical design can require, Bradley adds, “Theatre is not for the faint of heart, we put in long hours, but the feeling that you get when seeing a show come together is a beautiful thing.”

Senior Paul Pratt returns to The Castleton Festival, a theatre venue near Washington D.C., for his second summer working on the stage crew. The theatre is located on a farm 30 miles away from the nearest town. Among several music and opera performances, Castleton is casting Otello, The Girl of the Golden West, and La Voix Humaine this season. Pratt’s internship involves building and assembling sets, orchestrating scene changes, and performing other odd jobs that ensure a successful production. He enjoys the unique Castleton experience which includes farm and exotic animals on property (a zebra, donkey and emus) and two unique theatres, one of which was a former chicken coop.

For more on VI’s theatre department and student internships, visit vitheatre.com.

Photographers from the Virginia Intermont College community will make a strong showing at the first annual Knoxville Photo Exhibition sponsored by Knoxville’s Arts & Culture Alliance to be held at the Emporium Center on Gay Street, July 5-26, 2013. Assistant Professor of Photography & Digital Imaging Megan Pinch, along with her husband Dan Robinson, May graduate Paige Barbush ’13, and current student Billie Wheeler ’14, were accepted into the juried exhibition.

The new exhibition features selected works from artists throughout the Southeast region. “We received 478 entries from 98 artists in 12 states across the U.S., and 48 pieces have been selected for the show,” said Suzanne Cada, deputy director of the Emporium Center for the Arts & Culture Alliance. “We are absolutely delighted with the quality of work!”

Contact Sheet: Letters by Billie Wheeler

Contact Sheet: Bones by Billie Wheeler.

Knoxville Photo was developed to provide a forum for artists to compete on a national scale and display their highest quality work. The exhibition encompasses photographs depicting all subjects and genres, including streetscapes, cityscapes, landscapes, environmental portraiture, abstracts and more.

Nationally shown artist R.L. Gibson served as juror for the exhibition. “With a camera in almost every cell phone, photography has become the universal medium of artistic and creative expression,” she said. “The nearly 500 entries presented a jury challenge… so I chose to search for the soul of the image. I want the show to suspend disbelief for the viewer just long enough for them to be transported to a time, a place or an emotion.” Gibson works and “lives on vacation” in Gatlinburg with work in galleries from New York to Los Angeles.

“Arizona Sign” by Paige Barbush.

A public reception will take place on Fri., July 5, from 5-9 p.m. with an awards ceremony at 6 p.m. in which $750 in cash awards will be announced. Exhibition hours are Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. with additional hours on Sat., July 6, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543, or visit www.knoxalliance.com.  For more on VI’s photography program, visit http://intermontphoto.com.

On Wednesday, June 12, 2013, Mona Turner passed away at Broadmore Assisted Living in Bristol, Tenn. Mrs. Turner is survived by her brother and sister, son and daughter, four grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and one step-great-grandchild.

Mrs. Turner was a lifelong sports fan, having lettered in multiple sports at her Kansas City high school and played tennis well into her senior years. She was also an accomplished and sought-after singer, performing at various churches and many other forms of community concerts and productions. She lived in Bristol for over fifty years, expressing her faith through her roles at the First Baptist Church and in volunteer work at the Bristol Regional Medical Center.

Mrs. Turner was a beloved first lady in the VI community during the time her husband, Dr. Floyd V. Turner, served as President of the College from 1956- 1979. She devoted her time and energy to the VI students and was rewarded by many of them keeping in touch over the years.  Well-known for her famous red punch recipe, she was fondly thought of as the “heart” of VI. During the Turners’ more than two decades on campus, the College grew from a junior college for women to a coeducational four-year institution.

In honor of Dr. Floyd and Mona Turner, the family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Virginia Intermont College for scholarship funds.

Mrs. Turner’s funeral service will be at Mountain View Mausoleum Chapel at 3:00 pm on Sunday, June 16, 2013. Dr. Robert Rainwater, professor of religion at Virginia Intermont, is officiating.  Read full obituary here.

Students Choose On-campus or Webinar Orientation for Fall 2013

New students have already begun attending Orientation sessions at Virginia Intermont both on campus and through online webinars. During orientation, students have the opportunity to learn about campus life activities, class registration, housing options and more. Each student will also be introduced to “VI Guides” who serve as mentors and assist with new student transition to college life and the VI community.

Many students choose to attend orientation sessions on campus to mingle with other incoming freshmen and VI faculty. For out-of-state or international students and those with hectic schedules who cannot attend in person, VI offers online webinars to introduce College policies and procedures through interactive live PowerPoint presentations. The online webinar allows students to ask questions via instant messenger and connect virtually with other incoming students.

The Orientation schedule for traditional students and Evening and Weekend College (EWC) students is:

•           Tuesday, June 18 – Web Orientation (EWC/traditional students)

•           Wednesday, June 19 – Academic Advisor & VI Guide to call or Skype with students, approve registration and answer questions

•           Saturday, June 22 – On-campus Orientation (traditional only)

•           Academic Advisor & VI Guide to meet with students, approve registration and answer questions in afternoon

•           Tuesday, July 16 – Web Orientation (EWC/traditional)

•           Wednesday, July 17 – Academic Advisor & VI Guide to call or Skype with students, approve registration and answer questions

•           Saturday, August 3 – On-campus Orientation (traditional only)

•           Academic Advisor & VI Guide to meet with students, approve registration and answer questions in afternoon.

For questions or to register for Orientation, please call the Office of Student Life at 276.466.7914.

LEAD Bristol! will make a presentation regarding the renewal of the Virginia Hill neighborhood on Tues., June 18 in Harrison-Jones auditorium at 7:00 pm.  The meeting will include a PowerPoint presentation and report to the Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority board and special invited guests including members of City Council, the Planning Commission and the Historic Virginia Hill Neighborhood Association.  Virginia Hill neighborhood residents, the Virginia Intermont community and the public are invited.

A reception and information table will be set up in the Harrison-Jones lobby and refreshments will be served.  For more information, please contact Dave Baldwin, Executive Director/CEO Bristol Redevelopment & Housing Authority, at 276.821.6255 or 423.742.2107.

Virginia Intermont College announces Fall 2013 calendar for Equine Studies and Riding students.

FALL 2013 – EQUINE STUDIES & RIDING SCHEDULE

Sunday, August 18 – 4 p.m. – Equine Studies Departmental Meeting- Trayer Theatre – Main Campus

Monday, August 19 – Classes Begin

Tuesday, August 20 – 6 p.m. – IHSA & IDA Organizational Meeting – Trayer Theatre – Main Campus

Saturday, August 24 – TBA – IHSA & IDA Team Tryouts – Riding Center

Saturday, September 14 – IDA – Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC

Saturday, September 21 – Pre-Season Tournament Of Champions – Randolph College, Lynchburg, Va.

Friday – Saturday, September 27-28 – Open House

Sunday, September 29 – IHSA – VA Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Thursday – Friday, October 3-4 – Fall Break

Saturday October 5 – IHSA – Averett University, Danville, Va.

Sunday, October 13 – IDA – VA Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Sunday, October 20 – IDA – VA Intermont, Riding Center

Thursday – Friday, October 24-25 – Risk Reduction Workshop – Harrison- Jones Auditorium – Main Campus

Sunday, October 27 – IDA – Appalachian State University, Boone, NC

Friday – Saturday, November 1-2 – Open House

Sunday, November 3 – IHSA – Elon/UNC Greensboro – Liberty, NC

Friday – Saturday, November 8-9 – Campus Cup Horse Show – VA Intermont – Riding Center

Saturday – Sunday, November 16-17 – IHSA – Back To Back – VA Intermont – Riding Center

Wednesday – Sunday, November 27-December 1 – Thanksgiving Break

Friday, December 6 – Last Day of Classes

Saturday, December 7 – Holiday Tournament Of Champions – Centenary College, Long Valley, NJ

Saturday – Sunday, December 7-8 – Reading Days

Monday – Thursday, December 9-12 – Final Exams

Local, regional events and USEF horse shows will be offered throughout the semester as interest warrants.

Download the Equine Studies and Riding Schedule Fall 2013 here.

Since graduating in 2012, VI theatre majors Ryan Gray and Audrey Kuykendall have stayed close to the stage in the local community. Their talents and experience have even taken them beyond the spotlight and afforded opportunities in teaching, makeup design, and training for business organizations.

Currently an admissions counselor at VI, Ryan Gray worked with the Glasgow Theatre Company (Blountville, Tenn.) and appeared as the character “Old Man Strong” in their recent production of Urinetown: The Musical at the Paramount Center for the Arts. Go Tri-Cities! describes Urinetown as a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution – “one of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years.”

Gray also has had the opportunity to practice his theatrical design skills with the Bristol Police Department New Officer Training, doing makeup artistry for crime victims.

Audrey Kuykendall was also involved with Glasgow and played the character “Robbie the Stockfish” in Urinetown. This isn’t the first post-graduation acting gig Kuykendall has had, but she says it’s definitely one of the more fun experiences. “Through this production, I’ve been reminded of the many things Professor Bonny Gable taught me about the professionalism of theatre.”

Kuykendall is also teaching at an art camp at the William King Museum with the goal of touring public schools through the museum’s outreach program, and since graduating last year, she has been working with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Virginia. The center uses actors to help train police officers, attorneys, and social workers on how to interview sexually abused children. “I’m blessed to be one of the actors,” said Kuykendall. “It’s draining emotionally, but in the end, I’m using my degree as well as helping children. What could be more fulfilling than helping change the world through my studied field?”

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS) informed Virginia Intermont on June 20 that the accrediting board elected to remove the College from SACS membership. Virginia Intermont will file an immediate appeal which could be granted with the probation lifted as early as August. The College continues to be accredited throughout the appeal process.

The decision by the SACS board is based solely on the College’s financial position and not on academic programs. Virginia Intermont’s appeal will be based on progress that College administrators have made during the probationary period which includes:

• Reduced debt; VI has a modest debt ratio compared to peers.
• Doubled alumni giving rate and tripled donor gifts through strengthened commitments of alumni and friends of the College.
• Adopted best practices for depreciation and accounting methods at educational institutions.
• Earned higher than expected returns on endowment funds due to new management by Cary Street Partners.
• Improved student performance; increased retention rates from 2011 to 2013; reduced student withdrawals and academic probations over the same period.

“We are surprised and extremely disappointed with this decision.  However, because of our close consultation with SACS staff over the past two months and their acknowledgement of our progress, we know exactly what we need to do to protect the College, our students, and our accreditation,” said President E. Clorisa Phillips. “We deeply appreciate the support of the community and will keep all of our constituents updated as changes occur.”

Current VI students with questions can go to a student forum by clicking here. General questions may also be addressed by emailing Vice President for Institutional Advancement Ronda Gentry at rondagentry@vic.edu.

Dr. Phillips has prepared a short video to explain what this decision means to current and prospective students:

Two recent VI graduates have shown their colors and explored the realm of opportunities in dramatic arts. From film acting in Richmond to design and makeup artistry in New York, Sarah Jones ’12 and Jenna McClelland-Nease ’13 have found exciting opportunities for theatre majors.

Sarah Jones was recently cast in the independent film Prima Donna through VCUarts Cinema. Jones was specifically requested for the part based on her years of acting and opera experience, and she is also a stand in for one of the lead roles in the film. “For me this is great because I’ve never been involved with a film and being a stand in allows me to learn what the process is like,” said Jones. She is involved in a networking group called the Virginia Production Alliance, which posts casting calls and helps channel specific actors for roles like this one. Jones says this film is a great way for her to get her foot in the door for many more film projects going on in the Richmond area. Prima Donna started filming on June 10.

Jenna McClelland-Nease, a May 2013 graduate, took a seven-week internship with  SummerScape at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. The SummerScape is centered on the 24th Annual Bard Music Festival and the works of Igor Stravinsky. McClelland-Nease will practice her skills with hairstyling and makeup artistry for a variety of productions from opera to ballet. Some of the shows she will be working on include Sergey Tanyev’s Oresteia (an opera based on Aeschylus’ tragedies), a theatrical adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita, and a film festival. To follow the productions McClelland-Nease is working on, visit the SummerScape’s site here.

Virginia Intermont College announced today a change to its renowned equine program.  Long-time director of VI’s equine program Eddie Federwisch will leave VI to pursue professional interests in another state.

“This is a bittersweet change for VI. We love Eddie and will miss him a great deal,” said VI president Clorisa Phillips. “At the same time, it is exciting for him to venture out and expand his horizons, which he has been interested in doing for some time.”

Federwisch joined the faculty of Virginia Intermont in 1994, bringing experience and skill, as well as a philosophy of horsemanship that helped the College earn a formidable reputation in equine studies and riding. In addition, Federwisch has served as director at large of the IHSA, chair of the IHSA Hunter Equitation Committee and as a judge for U.S. Equestrian Federation.

“I remain so proud of the program I have been privileged to be a part of for 18 years and wish nothing but its continued success,” said Federwisch. “We’ve accomplished great things and it’s never about the individual, it’s about the program.”

VI’s equine program includes both B.A. and B.S. degrees in Equine Studies in addition to champion riding teams.  Dr. Patty Graham-Thiers is coordinator of the academic programs and oversees an undergraduate research program for VI students. Thiers presents and publishes her works internationally, and she was a 2013 finalist in the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Awards.

Federwisch will remain at VI through late July to assist with the transition to new leadership, to be announced in the coming weeks.

Dr. Jessica Turner, Professor of Cultural Heritage Studies and Public Arts at Virginia Intermont College, has been named director and head curator of Bristol’s Birthplace of Country Music® Museum. The new museum, currently under construction in the historic Goodpasture Motors Building in downtown Bristol, is slated to open August 2014.

“As museum director and curator, my responsibilities will provide even more opportunities for VI students to be involved during this exciting time in the Bristol community,” said Turner.

Turner has been actively involved and managed various community projects of the Birthplace of Country Music® (BCM) in association with the Smithsonian Institution.  She has engaged her cultural heritage students at Virginia Intermont, as well as photo and art students, in BCM projects – from painting murals for the building renovation to assisting in an astrophotography workshop for local middle school students. Intermont students are official photographers for BCM’s Rhythm and Roots Reunion, and six students are currently interning and helping with museum-related photography, surveys for community input, collections management work, graphic design and branding for the new museum.

“As director of the museum my job is to make sure the museum is professional, educational, and sustainable, and our programs will certainly benefit from the creative thinking of students,” said Turner.  “The museum will be a working lab for students learning to document and present cultural content, and we will work together to figure out how to engage visitors with the facts of the region’s rich traditions and recording history. Much of my work as a curator will transfer to the classroom. No doubt I will look for student support through internships and special projects in research, building content, and marketing for the museum.”

Turner earned her Ph.D. in Folklore and Ethnomusicology from Indiana University. She has an extensive and committed history with BCM, serving as chair of the BCM Events Committee, member of the BCM Executive Board, and most recently, curatorial lead for the BCMM Content Team. Turner, a native of Chilhowie, Va., lives in Johnson City, Tenn.  For more on BCM click here.  For information on the Cultural Heritage Studies and Public Arts minor at VI, click here.

In February 2013, Jill Rust ‘03 and Adam Rust ’02 opened AJ Mojo in Bristol, a premium specialty coffee shop specializing in coffees, espressos, blended organic tea, fresh fruit smoothies, frappes and other custom-made beverages.  Located at 1501 King College Rd., the small shop with a drive-up window also offers the iconic Blackbird Bakery pastries and a few lunch sandwiches made from special family recipes.

The mojo comes in creating a successful business model with the combined talents and personalities of husband and wife.  Both majored  in business and after graduating from VI, Jill spent several years in pharmaceutical sales and Adam began a career in purchasing.  “We balance each other in our different perspectives and approach,” says Jill. “Looking back, my professors at VI were very inspiring and if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be doing this today.”

Offering specialty baked goods through the partnership with Blackbird Bakery has worked well as an anchor to help bring in customers.   AJ Mojo is managed by an experienced certified barista, and the coffee is artisan roasted by Zazzy’s in Abingdon.

The Rusts researched independent coffee purveyors and wrote an in-depth business plan before choosing the current location for AJ Mojo based on convenience and market trends of people on the go.  With two young daughters, Eva and Emma, Jill says, “I did this with my kids in mind.  The drive-up, especially, is great for moms who have young children in the car or people on their way to work.  We also attract a lot of Tennessee High students buying lattes on their way to school, and the smoothies are popular with younger kids.”

What differentiates AJ Mojo?  “We place a big emphasis on customer service as well as quick service,” Jill explains. “Quick service is extremely important to our customers, but we wanted a friendly place where they feel welcome to ask questions and we take the time to help them choose a drink or discover a new taste.”

Jill recalls talking to friends about the need for a specialty coffeehouse in her neighborhood  and saying, “somebody needs to do this.”  Her hairdresser (located nearby) finally said to her, “That would be you!”

So her advice to fellow VI alums and students is:  “When you have a dream, take the chance and do it.”

Summer is a great time for prospective students to visit college campuses at a relaxed pace. Virginia Intermont College is pleased to participate in Virginia Private College Week, a statewide event organized by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV), July 29-Aug. 3, 2013. Virginia Intermont joins 24 member colleges that will host daily programs for all interested prospective students including rising juniors and seniors, high school graduates, and their families. Transfer students are also welcome.

The Invite: Prospective students are invited to visit campus and learn about the Intermont experience during Virginia Private College Week, July 29-Aug. 3, 2013.

Our Program: The program includes a campus tour and information session about admissions, academic/extracurricular programs and financial aid. Virginia Intermont offers merit, athletic and performance-based scholarships.

Your Savings: Visit 3 or more participating colleges during Virginia Private College Week and receive 3 application fee waivers at any Virginia private college.  Sign in upon your arrival and CICV will send you 3 free application fee waivers.

The Details: Please let us know which day to expect you on a tour at Virginia Intermont by calling our admissions office at 276.466.7892 or emailing viadmit@vic.edu. If you cannot visit VI during this week, the Admissions Office is happy to schedule an individual visit for you at another time. The Admissions Office is open Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For a quick snapshot of Virginia Private College Week, please download the 2013 Virginia Private College Week postcard here.

During the month of May, six Virginia Intermont students took part in the Worrell Honors Program and traveled to Germany for studies abroad. The three-stage Worrell Honors Program includes spring semester preparation, May Term sequence abroad, and optional independent study projects. Drs. Jo Copeland (professor of legal studies) and Achille Riviello (professor of political science) went overseas with the student group pictured at left and also participated in lectures and tours.

The program provides a distinctive educational experience in terms of quality, sensitivity to global issues, and unique structure. This year the preparation studies and lectures included German politics before the country’s 2013 elections and Jewish history in Munich during the Third Reich.  Students also were involved in classroom discussions on the Euro debt crisis and on German foreign policy.

Ms. Viola Schenz of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, and student Lee Ann Street

During their time abroad, the group attended luncheons with city officials of Munich, sessions with Munich City Council members, and lectures and tours led by professors from the Geschwister-Scholl Institute of the University of Munich. The students also joined walking tours of the cities they visited.

Andrew Fleenor at Sueddeutsche Zeitung printing plant

Jason Alber shares his experience from the 2013 Germany trip, excerpted here: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Germany, and my most favorite lecture there was on Counter-Terrorism in the world, because of the difference between how Germany views terrorism and how the USA views terrorism. We had private lectures which were normally in the morning and early evening. Because of German holidays, we had some days off and took the time to tour most of Munich and went to see the castle Neuschwanstein. Overall, the professors there at the universities were very similar to the professors we have back at VI; most of them know what they are talking about and showed great enthusiasm in what they do.”

Munich’s Marienplatz

Worrell Honors Program for Studies Abroad at Virginia Intermont is available to all students, regardless of major and is strongly recommended for majors in political science, history, legal studies, and English. Admission into the program is competitive and open to all students with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Substantial financial aid is available.

Virginia Intermont College Board of Trustees has elected Kathleen W. O’Brien of Nashville, Tenn., as Chair and Anthony F. Troy of Richmond, Va., as Vice-Chair. Their terms began effective July 1, 2013, and shall continue for a period of two years.

O’Brien is a Virginia Intermont alumna from the class of 1986 and has served as a trustee since 2010. She is president and chief executive of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville, where she has worked in various capacities since 1988. Her professional associations include Nashville Agenda’s Steering Committee, Leadership Music, the Broadway League, Rotary International, Tennessee Women’s Forum, the National Performing Arts Consortium, and Nashville’s Sister Cities. A graduate of Leadership Nashville and Leadership Music, she has served on the board of the Nashville Institute for the Arts, the council of the Nashville Center for Non-Profit Management Association for Non-Profit Executives, and the Nashville Entertainment Association.

Troy has been a Virginia Intermont trustee since 2007. He is a former attorney general of the Commonwealth of Virginia and currently a member of the law firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC in Richmond. A 1966 law graduate of University of Richmond, Troy has been recognized in “The Best Lawyers in America” and Virginia Business magazine’s “Legal Elite,” and is annually recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by Richmond Magazine. General Troy has served on numerous boards and was a member of the National Judicial College Board of Trustees, as well as chair of the Science Museum of Virginia, the Wintergreen Nature Foundation and Wintergreen Partners, Inc.

“I am extremely pleased to have Kathleen and Tony step up to executive leadership roles,” said Virginia Intermont President E. Clorisa Phillips. “It is a great honor to have two people of their stature serving the board, and I am also very happy that an alumna of the College will be the chair.”

For more information on Virginia Intermont College Board of Trustees, click here.

Virginia Intermont College announced today a new organizational structure for its renowned equestrian program.

Effective immediately, longtime associate professor and coach Lisa Moosmueller-Terry will assume the position of head riding coach and director of the Equestrian Center. A 1992 graduate of VI, Moosmueller-Terry coaches VI’s Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) teams and has led them to national championships in 2006, 2007 and 2010.  She is vice president and regional representative of the IDA, an American Riding Instructor Association Level III certified instructor and test administrator in hunt seat and dressage, and a Level I EAGAD instructor.

Heather McCloud, currently assistant coach and a VI alumna, will coach the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) teams, which boast three national championships. McCloud has assisted with both the IDA and IHSA teams during the last six years. Both McCloud and Moosmueller-Terry will continue their teaching roles as professors of equine studies.

Administrative oversight of the riding teams and equestrian athletes has been reassigned to the Department of Athletics led by Executive Director of Athletics Christopher Holt.

“I look forward to working closely with Lisa and the very talented students on the riding teams,” said Holt. “Bringing all of our student-athletes under the same umbrella allows us to provide more resources and opportunities for students in the way of athletic training and organized community outreach that has been a hallmark of VI Athletics.”

Holt has a Master’s degree in educational leadership from Union College and places strong emphasis in excellence for student-athletes not only in competition but also in character, community and the classroom.

“Lisa will bring very strong skills in management, communication, and coaching to her new role as head coach, and I am very pleased that she and her associates at the Riding Center are eager to integrate into VI Athletics under the excellent leadership of Chris Holt,” said VI President E. Clorisa Phillips. “All of us look forward to supporting our riding teams and their continued great success in intercollegiate competition.”

In addition to the outstanding riding teams which are open to all students regardless of their major, VI offers B.A. and B.S. degrees in Equine Studies, as well as a minor in Equine-Assisted Growth and Development.  Dr. Patty Graham-Thiers oversees the academic programs as well as an undergraduate research program for VI students. Graham-Thiers presents and publishes her works internationally, and she was a 2013 finalist in the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Awards.

Ever wished you could be part of a bluegrass jam but need a little inspiration?   Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion (BRRR) and Virginia Intermont College have teamed up to offer the Bluegrass Jamming Camp Sept. 18-20, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at the College. Veteran banjoist Gilbert Nelson will use the Wernick method, made famous by “Dr. Banjo” Pete Wernick, to teach the ins and outs of bluegrass jamming.

Jam Campers will learn how to play, lead and sing several bluegrass standards. No previous experience is required and the camp welcomes attendees who can already jam but want to brush up on picking and singing and meet new jammers.  The camp will be held in Harrison-Jones Memorial Hall and campers will eat lunch in the VI dining hall and have the option of eating breakfast and dinner there as well.

The cost of the three-day camp is $295, with lunch included each day. Participants will also receive a free weekend pass to BRRR ’13. Space is limited, so sign up today! For more information, visit the Dr. Banjo website.

As host venue for this camp, Virginia Intermont is also a sponsor of BRRR.  The College has a long history of affiliation with the festival, with photography students being official BRRR photographers and creative writing students contributing to classroom and public relations projects.

Coinciding with Virginia Private College Week, a statewide campus visitation event July 29-Aug. 3, 2013, Virginia Intermont will offer “Choosing College: tips for navigating the process,” a general information session for students who want to attend college.

High school students and families are invited to the one-hour presentation on Tues. evening, July 30, at 7 p.m. in Trayer Theatre, Worrell Fine Arts Building. The information session is intended to inform prospective college students and address the following:

• Preparing for college applications
• Getting out front for athletics recruitment
• Types of scholarships offered, including merit, athletic and performance-based awards
• Facts on financial aid, including VTAG, FAFSA, Parent Plus and work study

Dr. Rick Carroll, dean of admissions, will provide general information on preparing for college admission including application requirements, submitting ACT or SAT scores, and selecting the right college for you.

Dr. Cindy Ward, provost, will give an overview of liberal arts and Bachelor’s degree programs related to student academic interests.

Sharon Greatti, financial aid coordinator, will introduce scholarship and financial aid programs and provide useful information resources.

Christopher Holt, executive director of athletics, will discuss recruitment strategies and how to promote yourself as a student-athlete.

Light refreshments will be served at the presentation. To RSVP or for more information, contact Lindsey Smith at lindseysmith@vic.edu or (276) 466-7867.  For more  on touring college campuses, visit Virginia Private College Week.

In the off-season, Virginia Intermont’s Ka’Niska Hanna, better known as “Snapps,” enjoys some beach time but not in a lounge chair.  The Bahamas native keeps her ball skills sharp in the sand by playing competitive beach soccer.  She played in the Women’s Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier in Nassau, Bahamas in May and will play in the USL Major Beach Soccer Tournament in Fort Myers, Fla., July 26th-29th, 2013.

According to Daria Adderley of the Bahamian National Federation, the Fort Myers tournament is an international tournament and will showcase the talent of many Bahamas players.

Hanna started playing beach soccer shortly after her introduction to traditional soccer a few years ago. When asked why she began playing on the beach, she said she thought it would be fun and challenging. She has indeed found both to be true and also that playing on sand is quite different from playing on grass.

“The dribbling and shooting techniques are different and the resistance of the sand definitely makes movement hard,” said Adderley , Hanna’s beach soccer coach. “However the strength, speed, fitness level and work ethic that Hanna puts into training and matches makes her a great addition to the program and we are looking forward to her making a great impact on national teams forthcoming.”

Hanna, a junior at Virginia Intermont, has shown her talent in many areas of athletics and academics.  She is an art major and maintains a high GPA. Before joining the Lady Cobras soccer team, she played at Success Training College in the Bahamas.  She was head coach of the Cavalier Football Club U5, a member of the Senior Women’s Team and the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association 2011 championship team.

New students have already begun attending orientation sessions at Virginia Intermont College both on campus and through online webinars. During orientation, students learn about campus life activities, class registration, housing options and more. Orientation also provides students the opportunity to meet other incoming freshmen.

New students are also introduced to “VI Guides” who serve as mentors and assist with transition to college life and getting to know the VI community. Academic advisors and VI Guides will meet with students, approve registration and answer questions.

The next scheduled on-campus Orientation Day for traditional students is Saturday, August 3. For questions or to register for Orientation, please call the Office of Student Life at 276.466.7914.