U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte Visits Randolph College

U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte visited Randolph College's campus Thursday, September 29 where he received a tour and spent time with students. Randolph Trustee Don Giles also joined Congressman Goodlatte on campus. During Congressman Goodlatte's tour of campus, he was able to view the newly renovated library and Academic Resources Center. He was also able to see the progress that has been made on Randolph's $6 million Student Center renovation.

Goodlatte began his tenth term representing the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia in 2011.

Fun Run returns for Homecoming

An old tradition is returning to Randolph College for Homecoming.

Saturday morning, runners will compete in the 3K Fun Run, dashing up and down hills all around campus. The running will start at 10:30 a.m. on the track. There will be refreshments, awards, and door prizes. Don't miss out! (Pre-registration is not required.)

The run was started in the 1970s when Tom Michalik, a former physics professor, mapped out a run that took in "every hill on campus," said Peter Sheldon, a physics professor who organized the Fun Run this year. The original campus 3K was called the "Billy Goat Run."

When Sheldon joined the College faculty in the late 1990s, the college had not held the race for some time. But Michalik gave Sheldon a copy of the map showing the route. Sheldon, who also serves as assistant coach for the cross country teams, resurrected the race as a Family Weekend tradition.

For the past several years, the Virginia 10 Miler 4 Miler races have been held on Family Weekend, so the College opted to participate in those races rather than hold its own. This year, Sheldon was asked to revive the race again.

"It's supposed to be a fun run around campus," Sheldon said. "It's as fun as running up every hill on campus can be."

Take a look at the Fun Run course on the USA Track & Field Web site.

Randolph community plans to pick apples for charity during Family Weekend / Homecoming

Many of the activities planned for Homecoming and Family Weekend are fun, but some members of the Randolph College community will take some time for service, too.

A group of students plans to pick apples at an orchard at Gross' Orchard near Bedford, Virginia. The apples will be donated to the Society of St. Andrew, a nonprofit group that distributes food to people in need.

By Wednesday afternoon, about 30 students had signed up to help with the project. Families who are visiting the College for Homecoming or Family Weekend are welcome to help as well.

Here is a map to Gross' Orchard. Click here for directions, too.

Two shuttles will transport students to the orchard, about 30 miles from campus. The first shuttle will leave front campus at 8:30 a.m. and return at 11:30 a.m.

The second shuttle will leave at 9:30 a.m. and return at 12:30 p.m.

Students who would like to ride a shuttle should contact Jen Brestel in the office of alumnae and alumni.

Randolph College to host screening of French film with director, actress

Prunelle et Melodie is a movie about two best friends, with a twist.

The two French characters cannot talk to each other: Prunelle is blind, and Melodie is deaf and dumb. But the short film tells the story of how they learn to communicate and help each other live their dreams.

Randolph College will present a screening of the film at 4:30 p.m. October 5 in room 537 of the Harold G. Leggett Building. Mathieu Simonet, the director, and Julie Voisin, who plays Prunelle, will be present and will answer questions after the film.

The event is free and open to the public. The film will have English subtitles, said Francoise Watts, a Randolph College French professor.

Every year, Watts works with French professors at other Virginia colleges to arrange for French filmmakers to tour the state. They take students to the Richmond Film Festival each March, select a film, and then invite directors or actors to visit the various colleges.

Prunelle et Melodie impressed Watts on several levels.

The two girls have ironic names. Prunelle is the French word for the pupil of an eye, but Prunelle cannot see. Melodie refers to a melody, but she cannot hear, Watts said.

The girls meet in an education facility that is meant to help people with disabilities adapt to everyday life. They devise ways to communicate and decide to escape the facility.

“They form a very close bond because Melodie can see for Prunelle, and Prunelle can hear for Melodie,” said Watts.

The entire film takes only about 34 minutes.

“That’s the beauty of this film, being able to tell so much in a short period of time,” she said.

Like many French movies, it focuses more on emotion rather than action. “It’s very moving. It’s about the beauty of life. It’s a song for life,” Watts said.

After the film screening, Simonet and Voisin will answer questions. The reception will be held in the lobby of the Leggett Building, where French students will meet French members of the Lynchburg community.

Randolph College Nursery School Holds Annual 1/10th-Miler Race

The Randolph College Nursery School held its annual 1/10th-Miler Friday as part of a celebration of Lynchburg's 10-Miler race. The 1/10th-miler has been a much anticipated tradition at the College's preschool for more than a decade. Students spend the week before the race preparing by exercising and learning about eating healthy.

On the day of the race, the "juniors," students in the 3 and 4-year old class, cheer on the "seniors," the 4 and 5-year old class. The seniors then race the length of the gym to the cheers of family, friends, and College students. Wanda WildCat also joined the preschoolers to celebrate. The event even drew media attention from WSET.

Students each receive a medal for their participation.

Faculty concert to highlight contemporary female composers

Piano recitals can be exciting, Emily Yap Chua hopes to prove Saturday.



The Randolph College music professor will present a concert featuring driving rhythms and soaring melodies from the music of contemporary female composers. During a sonata that will end the concert, she will stand up numerous times to reach one hand into the piano and press on the strings to alter the piano's sound.

Chua believes that will make the moment memorable.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 24, in the Wimberly Recital Hall in Presser Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

Chua hopes the concert will help people understand and enjoy contemporary piano music, she said.

"People, I think, sometimes get the wrong impression of what it means to be performing contemporary music, or what contemporary music means," Chua said. "They think it's something that sounds like noise, and they think it's really unapproachable music. That doesn't have to be the case.

"Part of our mission in the department, both for the students and for the community, is to educate people about music," she said. "I thought (the concert) was a good way to help people understand that there is significant music written by women today, and it's music that people can listen to and enjoy without having to have a really academic understanding of the music."

Student Center Renovation Update: Sept. 22

Work on the $6 million Student Center renovation project is progressing--though most of the changes over the past few weeks have been beneath the building and not visible. Workers have spent the time digging out footings in the spaces under the ground floor.

That foundation work will continue for a few more weeks, but soon crews will begin the actual "building" process.

Keep checking back for more updates!

Education key to empowering women, says alumna featured on NPR

A National Public Radio show recently highlighted one alumna’s work to improve the lives of girls and women in Kenya.

Kakenya Ntaiya ’04 appeared on the Diane Rehm Show on Tuesday. The show focused on a new World Bank report that demonstrates economic gains from gender equality. The audio archive is available here. (Ntaiya starts speaking shortly after the 21 minute mark.)

Ntaiya agreed that greater equality and education creates ripple effects that improve the world for the next generation. “If you invest in a woman, she is going to invest in her daughters. She is going to invest in her boys. She’s going to bring up a family.”

But that theory supported by the World Bank report needs to be put into practice, she said. “What does that mean to a local woman in my own village who has no access to credit, who has no right to property?” she said. “…To me it's always going back to really empowering women.”

Women can be empowered through education, she said.

Eleven years ago, Ntaiya convinced the elders and others in her village to support her decision to move to the United States to attend Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. While at the College, she often talked about her plans to start a school for girls in her village.

That dream was realized two years ago when the Kakenya Center for Excellence opened. The school now has nearly 100 students, she said in the Diane Rehm Show interview.

“Our aim is to really empower the girls to tell them there are no limits to what they can achieve,” she said.

Ntaiya is finishing graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh and plans to return to Kenya later this year.

Her story has been chronicled in The Washington Post, National Geographic, and other publications.

Men's Soccer Ranked 25th in the Nation!

Randolph's men’s soccer team was ranked 25th in the nation Tuesday by D3soccer.com. The ranking is a first for the undefeated WildCats, currently sporting a perfect 7-0 overall record going into Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play this week.

The poll, voted on by coaches, writers and school sports information directors, was released Tuesday morning. The WildCats earned 47 total votes, which was three more than the next team receiving votes, Plattsburgh State. The team ranking is the first in College history, though the men’s basketball team received votes last year in the D3hoops.com poll.

"It's a tremendous accomplishment for a team to achieve a national ranking," said head coach Bryan Waggoner. "It's taken hard work over the five years from all of our players, and this is not just and accomplishment for our team but for our Randolph family. We want to continue to build going forward, and I know our team is not satisfied and will continue to work even harder."

Randolph is the only ODAC school currently ranked, and one of only two Virginia schools with No. 2 Christopher Newport University being the other.

For more see http://wildcats.randolphcollege.edu/news/update.asp?id=1998

Lecture will highlight little-known Greek temple

An artist's rendering of the temple of Athena at Sounion.

One of the most unique examples of Greek architecture is also relatively unknown—but a lecture at Randolph College will shed some light on the subject Wednesday night.

Barbara A. Barletta, a University of Florida professor of classical art and archaeology, will present “The Temple of Athena at Sounion” at 7:30 p.m. in room 537 of the Harold G. Leggett Building at Randolph College.

The temple stands out from other Greek buildings because it was constructed with columns on two adjacent sides, rather than two opposite sides or completely surrounding the building. It structure also represents the Ionic order of Greek architecture, which was typical of the Aegean Islands but not mainland Greece.

During the Roman Empire, the temple was dismantled and portions of it were moved about 44 miles to Athens, where the pieces were used in the construction of a new temple.

Barletta will explore evidence for the building, its reconstructed appearance, and the artistic context in which it developed. She also will discuss possible reasons for the temple’s reuse during the Roman period.

2004 Alumna Speaks Out on Gender Equity on The Diane Rehm Show

Alumna Kakenya Ntaiya '04 is once again speaking out for gender equity. President and founder of The Kakenya Center for Excellence, Ntaiya was a featured guest on NPR's The Diane Rehm Show Tuesday, September 20.

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-09-20/economic-gain-through-gender-equality

Ntaiya has made it her life's mission to help young girls in Africa receive education, self-realization, and leadership skills. As a young girl, Ntaiya was determined to follow her own path. She negotiated with her village elders to do what no girl had ever done before: leave her village in south Kenya to go to college in the United States. She promised to use her education to benefit Enoosaen.

Since her graduation in 2004, she has done just that.

The Kakenya Center for Excellence is a primary boarding school focused on serving the most vulnerable underprivileged Maasai girls. The first primary girls’ school in the region, the academy focuses on academic excellence, female empowerment, leadership, and community development. Located in Keyian division of the Trans Mara district of Kenya, the Center opened in May 2009 with 32 students. The Center enrolled an additional 31 students in January 2010 in fourth grade. The goal is eventually to enroll 150 students in grades four to eight.

For more information, see http://www.kakenyasdream.org/

No Shame Theatre returns to Randolph College with a 'Best Of' show Friday

Fifteen popular performers will take to the stage at Randolph College Friday night for the return of Lynchburg’s only No Shame Theatre.

No Shame Theatre gives artists, musicians, and other performers a place to debut their work before an uncritical audience. Mace Archer, a Randolph theatre professor, launched the Lynchburg edition of No Shame Theatre last year, but the series took a break during the summer.

The season premiere will take place at 8 p.m. Friday in the Thoresen Theatre, on the third floor of the Harold G. Leggett Building at Randolph College—a few hours earlier and on a more prominent stage than No Shame’s usual arrangement. Admission will cost $5 for students and $10 for adults, with proceeds going to theatre scholarships at the College.

Archer hopes to see No Shame regulars and newcomers join the audience on Friday.

“We want to celebrate the work that was done last year, and we want to share what’s been done with people who have not ventured out at 10:45 at night (No Shame’s usual hour) so they can see what it is,” Archer said.

Friday's performance will be a “Best of” show. Archer scheduled some of the more popular performances from last year’s events, including some performances nominated by fans of the No Shame Theatre Lynchburg Facebook page.

There will be 15 five-minute performances, including:

• music on guitar and piano
• a drum circle
• a belly dance
• stand up comedy.

After this week, Lynchburg No Shame Theatre will return to its regularly scheduled time and venue: 10:45 p.m. on Fridays in the lab theatre on the second floor of the Leggett building.

It will also return to its usual, unplanned approach in which performers sign up on a first come, first serve basis, and its usual cost: a suggested donation of $5.

Archer said he is proud to see No Shame return.

“Randolph has a history of being free thinking, open minded, and non-judgmental,” he said. “That’s what No Shame is about. It’s a place where people can speak their minds and try new ideas.”

For more background on No Shame Theatre, read these stories from The News & Advance and Randolph magazine.

Richard Dawkins Returns to Randolph College Oct. 5

Richard Dawkins, deemed “Darwin’s Rottweiler” by Discovery Magazine, will return to Randolph College on Oct. 5 to talk about his latest book, The Magic of Reality: How We Know What’s Really True.


The event, scheduled at 7:30 p.m. in Smith Hall Theatre is free and open to the public. However, tickets are required.

Dawkins first visited Randolph’s campus in 2006 for a powerful lecture that resulted in a standing room only event, with audience members from all over the state and region.

A British ethologist, evolutionary theorist, and popular science writer, Dawkins first came to prominence with his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene, which popularized the gene-centric view of evolution. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2007, Dawkins is a Fellow of the Royal Society and held the University of Oxford’s first Chair of the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science.

He is the author of 10 additional books, including The Selfish Gene (1976, 2nd Ed 1989), The Extended Phenotype (1982), The Blind Watchmaker (1986), River Out of Eden (1995), Climbing Mount Improbable (1996), Unweaving the Rainbow (1998), A Devil’s Chaplain (2003), The Ancestor’s Tale (2004), The God Delusion (2006) and The Greatest Show on Earth (2009).

The Magic of Reality: How We Know What’s Really True is set for release in the United States on Oct. 4.

The author of numerous articles, Dawkins's awards have included the Silver Medal of the Zoological Society of London (1989), the Royal Society's Michael Faraday Award (1990), the Nakayama Prize for Achievement in Human Science (1990), The International Cosmos Prize (1997) and the Kistler Prize (2001). He holds Honorary Doctorates in both literature and science.

The Wall Street Journal has said Dawkins’ "passion is supported by an awe-inspiring literary craftsmanship." The New York Times Book Review has hailed him as a writer who "understands the issues so clearly that he forces his reader to understand them too." And Prospect Magazine voted him among the top three public intellectuals in the world (along with Umberto Eco and Noam Chomsky).

Ticket Information

Tickets are required for entrance into Smith Hall Theatre. To register, please see www.randolphcollege.edu/tickets

For more information on the event, please see www.randolphcollege.edu.

Ticket requests will be filled in the order that they are received. You will receive a ticket confirmation email with additional information if your request can be filled.

Seating will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Directions to Randolph College are available at http://www.randolphcollege.edu/x55.xml

Randolph College Increases U.S. News ranking

LYNCHBURG – Randolph College once again moved up in the rankings of one of the nation’s most recognizable college guidebooks. Randolph was ranked 112th for national liberal arts colleges in the 2012 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges.


This is the second consecutive year the College has improved its ranking, and is the latest in a growing number of accomplishments for Randolph College. In addition to yet another year of increased enrollment, the College is undergoing one of the largest renovations in decades—a $6 million renovation of its Student Center. That project was completely funded by five alumnae and their families.

The College was also recognized recently by the Fiske Guide to College, The Princeton Review, Forbes, and Newsweek.

The 2012 rankings of the U.S. News & World Report include data on more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools, comparing them by a set of 16 indicators of excellence including peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving, graduation rate performance, and high school counselor ratings.

View the rankings at www.usnews.com.

Fred Chappell next in Visiting Writer Series lineup

How often do you get to hear an internationally acclaimed writer read his work the way he meant it to be read? Randolph College will provide that opportunity Wednesday in a free reading for the campus community and the general public.

Fred Chappell, former poet laureate of North Carolina, is one of six professional authors joining Randolph College’s Visiting Writer Series. This series helps students learn directly from writers who are experts in their craft.

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Chappell will read some of his fiction work in the Alice Ashley Jack Room in the College’s Smith Memorial Hall.

“The opportunity to hear a master writer read from his work is a great treat,” said Jim Peterson, a Randolph English professor who coordinates the Visiting Writer Series. “It’s a great experience for students.”

Chappell has composed 15 books of poetry, eight novels, and several volumes of short stories and criticism. He has won numerous state, national, and international awards for his writing. In 2004, he retired from the University of North Carolina Greensboro after 40 years as an English professor.

Read more about Chappell here.

Chappell and Peterson have been acquaintances for several years, but this is the first time Chappell has come to speak at the College.

The Visiting Writer Series brings six authors to campus each year to read their work. Some also teach month-long courses on their areas of expertise.

In November, Suzanne Strempek Shea, a novelist and memoirist, will teach a class on creative writing. She will hold a public reading on November 2. Joshua Poteat, a poet, will hold a reading on November 13, and will visit creative writing classes, too.

The spring Visiting Writer Series is still being formed, Peterson said.

Lynchburg residents hear results of economics students' research

Safiyah Lopez '12, center, explains the results of a study she conducted regarding resident satisfaction in Lynchburg's Tinbridge Hill neighborhood.

Like many college seniors, Safiyah Lopez ’12 sat for the Graduate Readiness Exam on Friday.

But first, she sat down with Lynchburg residents who wanted to hear the results of her economic studies of their neighborhood and its economic progress.

Her presentation focused specifically on a neighborhood satisfaction survey that she and Shradha Shrestha ’12 administered this summer, but it represented the culmination of years of research and study by Randolph College economics students and Elizabeth Perry-Sizemore, an economics professor.

Over the years, Perry-Sizemore and her students have studied the economy of the Tinbridge Hill community as the nonprofit Lynchburg Neighborhood Development Foundation (LNDF ) has restored condemned, vacant homes there. Last year, those studies led Lopez to an internship at LNDF.

The studies have shown that LNDF’s restoration and renovation projects helped boost the values of the neighboring homes in the area.

This summer, Lopez and Shrestha participated in the College’s Summer Research Program to continue the research. They conducted an extensive survey to gauge the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of people in the Tinbridge Hill neighborhood and identify areas that people still need improvement.

The survey results showed general satisfaction with the community. In particular, they showed that many people in the neighborhood feel crime is not a current problem.

Aubrey Barbour, a community leader, said the survey provides a real benefit to Tinbridge Hill residents. It shows what progress has been made through neighborhood revitalization efforts, and it could encourage future improvements as more homes become owner occupied, he said.

“We have a lot of people now that are beginning to take ownership in the neighborhood. That means a lot,” he said. “For them to try ownership in the neighborhood affirms that something’s working. This survey should entice more people to come into the area to live.”

Perry-Sizemore said she plans to continue helping her students understand real life economics by studying Tinbridge Hill. Eventually, she wants to go through the community satisfaction survey again to measure progress.

Also, city leaders have asked for help conducting similar surveys in other neighborhoods near downtown Lynchburg.

This project is one example of the way Randolph College students get the opportunity to work on real life projects addressing real life problems. Read a recent Randolph magazine article about the project here.

The weather was beautiful at Randolph College today, with the temperature remaining in the 70s for much of the afternoon.

 Dara Niketic '15, Trey Padgett '15, and Rachel Dunwell '15 enjoy the shade and the sunshine outside the dining hall.

Faculty members Danielle Currier, a sociology professor, and Summer Henderson '07, a philosophy professor, enjoy a chat outside after lunch.

How did you enjoy the weather?

Randolph Remembers 9/11 Victims

Randolph College will mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with a special remembrance ceremony. On Sunday, September 11, the Randolph community will come together to honor those who died during the tragic attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

At 8:46 a.m., the Conway Bell will ring three times in honor of the victims of Flight 11 and the World Trade Center 1. Community members will be asked to pause for a moment of silence after the bell tolls. At the conclusion of the moment of silence, Randolph community members will then read the names of each of the victims of the 9/11 attacks. During the reading of the names, the bell will again toll three times—at 9:02 a.m. to honor the victims of Flight 175 and the World Trade Center 2, at 9:37 a.m. in honor of the victims of Flight 77 and the Pentagon, and at 10:03 in honor of the victims of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

Organizers estimate it will take the Randolph community three hours to read the more than 3,000 names. Volunteers are being asked to sign up to read in 5-minute intervals. To participate, sign up at the Reception and Information Desk in Main Hall before Friday.

“September 11 will continue to be an important day in the history of our nation,” wrote Randolph President John E. Klein in an e-mail to the community this week. “It is fitting that the College community remember those who lost their lives that day. No matter where you are, or what you are doing, I hope each of us will take time to reflect on the significance of those events to our country.”

News story profiles Randolph College professor

When an earthquake struck Virginia last month, Lynchburg-area news outlets immediately called on Tatiana Gilstrap.

As a Randolph College physics and geology professor, Gilstrap is Central Virginia’s resident earthquake expert. She interpreted data from the College’s seismograph located at the Randolph College Riding Center.

Today, The News & Advance in Lynchburg published a profile of Gilstrap, detailing how she left post-communist Bulgaria in search of greater opportunities for scientific advancement. That quest eventually led her to Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in 2005, where she began teaching after graduate school at Georgia Tech.

Both before and after the transition to coeducation, Gilstrap found the College to be a great place for her to live and practice science. Here is one clip from the article:

“The campus is just gorgeous,” she said. “The one thing that I really liked was the community.”

Especially, she said, the high percentage of international students, and the mentality of the campus population.

“It turned out to be exactly what I expected. Very open-minded people, and very forward-thinking. I really was hoping that would be the case.”

Read the full story here.

New Teaching and Learning Center combines three academic support programs

Three critical academic support programs at Randolph College now share a home in the Lipscomb Library.

Over the summer, the Learning Resources Center (LRC), the Writing Lab, and the Tutoring program moved into a prominent remodeled location on the main floor of the library. The 1,800 square-foot Teaching and Learning Center provides one place where students can go for help with a learning disability, tutoring for a tough class, or guidance in crafting an essay.

“Before, we had separate facilities. Now we have one-stop shopping,” said Tina Barnes, director of the LRC. “We wanted it to be a center for teaching and learning.”

The LRC provides support for students with any kind of disability—any condition ranging from dyslexia to a broken bone—to help them participate and succeed at the College. Barnes also coordinates the Learning Strategies Program, in which students receive help learning college success skills and habits to improve their studying and test taking.

This space on the fourth floor of Lipscomb Library was remodeled to create the Teaching and Learning Center.

BEFORE

AFTER

The tutoring program, directed by M.C. Johnson ‘76, pairs students who need assistance in a specific course with students who have excelled in that subject before. Last year, more than 160 students used

The Writing Lab is staffed with peer tutors who help other students with any phase of the writing process. Bunny Goodjohn, an English professor, oversees the writing program.

Johnson said the new arrangement should help make the academic services more accessible to students.

The staff of the new Teaching and Learning Center will host an open house on September 22 to help students become more acquainted with the facility and its services. Watch for later announcements to get details.

ODAC honors 40 WildCat student-athletes for academic achievement

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) has named 40 Randolph College student-athletes to the ODAC All-Academic Team for 2010–2011, honoring them for outstanding academic achievements.

ODAC announced its All-Academic Team roster on Friday.

Student-athletes are eligible for the team when they compete in an ODAC-sponsored sport and achieve at least a 3.25 grade point average for the year.

At Randolph College, student-athletes balance a rigorous sports schedule with a demanding liberal arts curriculum. They excel athletically and academically due to their determination and talent, and help from motivational coaches and dedicated faculty.

Sometimes, student-athletes actually perform their best academically while in-season, when they have to keep up with sports practice and schedule. An article in the latest edition of Randolph Magazine explains how athletic competition keeps students on top of the game in the classroom and in life, too. Read the article here.

Please join us in congratulating these WildCat athletes who earned a spot on the 2010–2011 ODAC All-Academic Team:

Connor Adams, Men’s Lacrosse

Steven Blackwell, Men’s Lacrosse

Eileen Buckingham, Equestrian

Jane Campbell, Women’s Cross Country

Cameron Colquitt, Men’s Basketball

David Conrow, Men’s Basketball

Lauren French, Women’s Basketball

John Grundy, Men’s Lacrosse

Alina Herron, Women’s Cross Country

Colton Hunt, Men’s Basketball

Amy Jacobs, Equestrian

Julianna Joyce, Women’s Soccer

Jonghui Kim, Women’s Tennis

Lydia Kirchner, Equestrian

Yong Jun Kwon, Men’s Cross Country

Kalyne Lynch, Women’s Tennis, Volleyball

Zachary MacDougall, Men’s Soccer

Alexis Mandarakas, Equestrian

Lorna McFarlane, Women’s Tennis

Samuel McGarrity, Men’s Soccer

Teague Nelson, Men’s Tennis

Andrew Nye, Men’s Soccer

William Pearson, Men’s Basketball

Ryan Purrington, Men’s Cross Country

Cameron Shepherd, Men’s Basketball

Timothy Songer, Men’s Soccer

Lauren Stevenson, Softball

Julia Stika, Equestrian

TJ Story, Men’s Lacrosse

Eric Struble, Men’s Soccer

Morgan Thompson, Women’s Basketball/Women’s Lacrosse/Volleyball

Eric van Staalduinen, Men’s Soccer

John Vecchietti, Men’s Soccer

Brittney Via, Softball

Jerry Wells, Men’s Cross Country

Megan Wheatley, Volleyball

Brittany Willingham, Softball

Reid Winkler, Men’s Tennis

Colton Wood, Men’s Lacrosse

Derrick Woods-Morrow, Men’s Basketball

Lynchburg dubbed "Runner Friendly"

Carl Coffey ’11 runs along the Blackwater Creek Trail in Lynchburg. The trail is one place that Cross Country Coach Catherine Phillips recommends for running.

Looking for a place to run? You should check out the City of Lynchburg and Randolph College.

The Road Runner’s Club of America has named Lynchburg a “Runner Friendly Community,” confirming what Randolph College runners already knew.

Not only is Lynchburg a great place to run, but the College is situated near some of the city’s best running paths, on road or on trail.
Catherine Phillips, head coach of Randolph’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams, named several popular, safe running spots near the College. Here’s a map:

With its wide sidewalks, Rivermont Avenue is a popular running spot from early in the morning until late at night, Phillips said. Riverside Runners, a sports footwear and apparel store near the College, provides a water cooler where runners can refresh themselves.

The Blackwater Creek Bikeway and its associated trails are also good, safe places to run during the day, Phillips said. “You always see other runners, cyclists, walkers, at any time of day, and everyone is friendly and encouraging of others,” she said.

The Blackwater Creek Trail is good for biking, too. Wanda WildCat enjoys a leisurely ride down the trail when she is not training for a run.

After dark, when the bikeway and trails close, Phillips said runners in the area should stick to Rivermont Avenue, Peakland Place or Langhorne Road because they are well lit at night and have sidewalks, she said.

These areas are especially busy in the mornings now—sometimes as early as 5:30 a.m.—as people prepare for Lynchburg’s premiere race, the Virginia 10 Miler, which takes place September 24. Phillips said the cross country teams usually participate in the race, but this year they will be away competing in the Roanoke College Invitational meet. However, several faculty and staff members usually run the race, she said.

While we’re talking about running, check out this article about people who have run every day for 40 years. Now that is dedication.

What Did You Do This Summer? Songshine Received Invitation to Perform from Nikki Giovanni

Randolph College’s female a cappella group, Songshine, did more than relax over the summer. Members of the group were invited to perform at James Madison University on June 24. The invitation was issued by Nikki Giovanni, the internationally known poet, who heard Songshine during her visit to Randolph College during the spring.

The group performed at a poetry reading by poet and social justice activist Sonia Sanchez. The reading on June 24 was part of a weeklong seminar on African American poetry at JMU.

Songshine, founded in 1972, has a long history at the College. Auditions for the group will be held this fall.