A handful of Bluefield State College employees helped Chris Flanagan during his days as a student, and the 1995 BSC graduate has been helping others ever since. Flanagan, an emergency room physician at Logan Regional Medical Center, recently reflected upon the role the College played in his life.

"I was passionate about playing college football," Flanagan (a 1990 Big Creek High School graduate) recalled. "I had received some interest from several colleges during my junior season at Big Creek, but I sustained a serious head injury late in the season and I couldn't get medical clearance to return to play football, so the scholarship offers evaporated."

A multi-sport star in high school, Flanagan was particularly disappointed at the turn of events and he talked to Big Creek coach Drexel Adkins about it. "Coach Adkins called Terry Brown (then the BSC basketball coach), who said I could come to Bluefield State and join the team as a 'walk on,'" Flanagan continued.

"I majored in applied science and chemistry and (the late) Professor Isaac Robinson was my advisor. He is a major reason I am where I am today," Flanagan said. "I met him as a freshman and he let me know that it would be very difficult for me to play ball and maintain good grades in a tough academic major."

Robinson became a teacher and mentor during Flanagan's years at the College. "When I got to BSC, I joked that I wanted to go to med school someday, but at some point during my time at BSC, it became a real goal."

Professor Robinson administered some 'tough love' that helped to shape Flanagan's future. "I had to battle through organic chemistry from Professor Robinson and he insisted on a very high level of academic performance," the McDowell County native stated. "I learned a lot about work ethic and dedication during that time."

Meanwhile, Flanagan was playing basketball for the Big Blues. "We had some great player and we enjoyed quite a bit of success in those days," he said. "Coach Brown was tough on us, insisting that we practice at 'game speed.' He also joined the BSC cross country team, becoming the first individual in the College's history to participate in cross country for four years.

Somehow, the young student-athlete found time to hold down a part-time job as a work-study student for Paul Rutherford, BSC's Director of Purchasing & Receiving. "Paul taught me a lot about growing up and taking responsibility. My undergraduate years at BSC were special. I absorbed the college experience," he added.

After graduation, Flanagan took the next step in fulfilling his dream of going to medical school when he was accepted to continue his studies at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. "It was challenging, but I had already been challenged in the classroom and in athletics at Bluefield State," he stated.

"After graduating from WVSOM in 2000, Dr. Chris Flanagan went to Logan Regional Medical Center, where he completed his internship and residency. He opened his medical practice in 2003, moving to the Logan Regional emergency room three years later. He was the head of the hospital's ER for five years before returning to an ER medical staff post in 2011.

"As an ER physician, I work on people who are in real need of help," he observed. "Every day, I use a lot of what I learned at Bluefield State. . . .things like standard operating procedure, preparation, and self-improvement."

Flanagan has also been a trailblazer for his siblings. "I was the first person in my family to graduate from college," he explained. "Since then, all three of my sisters and my brother have graduated from Bluefield State. We've had at least one family member attending BSC for the past 20 years."

(Bluefield)—Bluefield State College has been awarded a $7,500 mini-grant from the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Center for Excellence (HBCUCE) in Behavioral Science. The grant is designed to increase awareness of suicide factors and community interventions through peer educational sessions.

"West Virginia's suicide rate among young adults is nearly twice as high as the national rate in the 20-24 year old age category," noted Dr. Anthony Woart, the grant's Project Director. "Thus, there is a demonstrated need for a student-led program that can develop suicide prevention strategies, cultivate awareness of suicide risk factors, and create a referral process that connects students to available suicide prevention services."

"The grant will also create the opportunity for three social science majors to participate in a two-month internship with ResCare, a human services company that helps individuals of all ages and abilities to live more independently. Student interns will receive stipends provided through the grant and will gain provide 'real world' experiences in their areas of academic concentration," Dr. Tamara Ferguson, the grant's Principal Investigator explained..

"Dr. Woart, Director of the Minority Health Institute at BSC and author of the grant proposal for this project, has worked diligently to acquire grant funding to continue these types of projects," Ferguson added. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the College's Office of Sponsored Programs, Dr. Cravor Jones (Director/BSC Counseling Center), and Ray Guy (Fiscal Manager) for their input and insight in the grant process.

On November 14, Dr. Oswaldo Cannon of Peru, currently Fulbright Scholar in Residence at Kennesaw State University in Georgia will share his professional expertise at Bluefield State College and Montcalm High School.

At 9 a.m. on Monday, November 14, Dr. Cannon will provide Montcalm High School students an introduction to Peruvian culture.

On Monday, at 4p.m. in the Basic Sciences Building, Room 307, at Bluefield State College, Dr. Oswaldo Cannon will discuss Hispanic American Literature with students of Dr. David Haus' and Dr. Luciano Picanco's History of Latin America course.

Dr. Cannon teaches English and Spanish at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in Lima, Perú, where he has taught courses in English and Spanish as a Second Language, Linguistics, General Studies, Literature , History of Theatre, Phonetics and Prosody, Contemporary Literature, Dramatic Literature, Introduction to Linguistics and Literature, and History of Theatrical Spectacle. During his visit to Dankook University in South Korea, he taught diverse Spanish conversation courses.

Dr. Cannon has published books and articles on Spanish and study material for Theater–Dramatic Literature. He has shared his research in publications in Peru and at conferences in Peru, the USA, and South Korea. His research interests are History of theatre, Latin American literature, Korean culture, Classical Japanese literature, and Peruvian lexicon. Dr. Cannon is a member of the Lima Lawyers Bar, having earned a baccalaureate degree in the law in 1988 and passed his bar exams in 1990. His area of specialization at the graduate level is Hispanic American Literature.

Dr. Cannon will enjoy a home stay with Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant for Portuguese Cristiano Melo of Brazil.

Dr. Cannon's visit to Bluefield State College and Bluefield High School is funded by the Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Program which also relies on the willingness of host institutions of Fulbright Scholars in Residence to share their scholars with other U.S. institutions of higher education. The Fulbright Scholars Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Council of International Exchange of Scholars, a subsidiary of the New York-based Institute for International Education.

This project has also received financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph or Princeton Times do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

BSC's Office of International Initiatives is coordinating this activity in collaboration with BSC's School of Arts and Sciences and Mark Page, Principal of Montcalm High School. For information about this initiative, contact BSC's Office of International Initiatives Coordinator Dr. Sudhakar R. Jamkhandi at internationalbsc@bluefieldstate.edu or call (304) 327-4036.

(Bluefield)—Dr. Shannon Bowling, an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Technology at Bluefield State College, recently submitted two papers that have been accepted for publication in an international journal and international conference proceedings.

The first paper entitled "Teaching Interactively using Web-Conferencing: The Student Perspective," was accepted and presented in the 2011 ASEM (American Society for Engineering Management) annual conference hosted by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. The paper details the steps to be taken to design and build a distance education classroom that can cater to the needs of students for both face-to-face instruction and web delivery of courses simultaneously. The preliminary results obtained from the paper show a high level of student satisfaction with the technology used, along with ease to follow content and ability to communicate with instructor and fellow students. The paper is published in the 2011 ASEM conference proceedings and can be found online at www.asem.org. Information pertaining to the conference can be found at aln.coe.ttu.edu/asem2011/.

The second paper entitled "Initiative Mapping Methodology for System-of-Systems Applications" describes a quantitative approach to making correct decisions in a complex systems environment where little information is known about the system itself but great consequences may be encountered if a wrong decision is made. This paper appears in the International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering and can be found at www.inderscience.com/ijise.

Both papers are part of Dr. Bowling's research effort to promote education through the use of technology and a quantitative approach for making correct decisions.

Bluefield, WV – CFRE International has named Karen Harvey as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Harvey, Executive Director of the Bluefield State College Foundation and Bluefield State's Director of Institutional Advancement, joins over 5,200 professionals around the world who hold the CFRE designation. She is the eighth fundraiser in West Virginia to be so designated.

Individuals granted the CFRE credential have met a series of standards set by CFRE International which include tenure in the profession, education, demonstrated fundraising achievement, and a commitment to service to not-for-profit organizations. They have also passed a rigorous written examination testing the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a fundraising executive, and have agreed to uphold Accountability Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights.

"The CFRE credential was created to identify for the public and employers those individuals who possess the knowledge, skills, and commitment to perform fundraising duties in an effective and ethical manner," stated Sharilyn Hale, MA, CFRE, Chair of CFRE International. "As the certification is voluntary, achievement of the CFRE credential demonstrates a high level of commitment on the part of Ms. Harvey to herself and the fundraising profession as a whole."

Harvey, who has worked at Bluefield State College for almost five years, also holds a MS in Arts Administration from Shenandoah University and is certified in Nonprofit Executive Leadership by the Center on Philanthropy of Indiana University. She has raised approximately $1.5 million for the Bluefield State College Foundation in that time.

"West Virginians have generous hearts," Harvey said. "Philanthropy is a natural offshoot that we can strengthen by implementing professional standards and methods at Bluefield State and our area's nonprofits."

(Bluefield)—Dr. Sudhakar Jamkhandi, Director of the Office of International Initiatives & Professor of English at Bluefield State College, has agreed to serve as a panelist during the NAFSA Association of International Educators' regional conference in Philadelphia, November 4.

He will participate in the NAFSA session on "Internationalizing Your Campus Through the Fulbright Scholars-In-Residence and Occasional Lecture Programs." Dr. Jamkhandi's emphasis will be on the impact of the programs at BSC.

"Since 2009, 22 Fulbright Scholars from approximately 20 nations have lectured at Bluefield State College through the Fulbright Scholars-In-Residence and Occasional Lecture Programs," Jamkhandi noted. "These programs enable our students to learn from individuals who bring to the classroom and campus a wonderful breadth of experiences and provide a perspective that might otherwise be unavailable for our students."

(Bluefield)—Bluefield State College administrator John Cardwell received the "Anderson-Milam Award" at the West Virginia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers' (WVACRAO) annual conference in Morgantown.

The Anderson-Milam award recognizes the distinguished service rendered by an individual who has made significant contributions to WVACRAO. The award was created to commemorate the services of Douglas Anderson, former Registrar at West Virginia State College, and Otis Milam, former Registrar at Fairmont State.

Cardwell, BSC's Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, has been an active WVACRAO member for more than 20 years and has served the state organization in a variety of capacities, including president and special projects chair. He has also served on several national committees within AACRAO and currently represents the state of West Virginia as its ACT representative to the national Board of Directors of that organization.

Cardwell was also selected, in 1994, as WVACRAO's "Rick Snow Award" recipient. The Rick Snow award was established to honor distinguished young professionals in Admissions, Records, or Enrollment Management who have made significant contributions to WVACRAO. The award was established in honor of the late Rick Snow, the former Registrar/Director of Admissions at Bluefield State College who befriended and mentored many new admissions and records professionals through the years.

"This is a great honor;" Cardwell said. "I am humbled to be chosen for this prestigious award. " He continued "I enjoy what I do and this association has provided so much to its members to help us grow professionally. This is truly a capstone to my career in West Virginia higher education."

(Bluefield)—Dr. Sudhakar Jamkhandi has accepted an invitation to serve on The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission's (HEPC) new Diversity Council. Jamkhandi, Director of the Office of International Initiatives & Professor of English at Bluefield State College, was appointed to a two-year term as a Council member. He is also a Fulbright Specialist for Internationalizing Institutional Capacity, 2011-2016, a designation given him by the Fulbright Commission and the US Department of State.

Dr. Kathy Butler, HEPC Vice Chancellor of State Colleges and Senior Director of Academic Affairs, extended the invitation, noting that the Diversity Council's initial goals will include: a) providing direction to the Commission regarding how existing programs and policies can be coordinated and improved to enhance and celebrate diversity; b) helping to establish a framework for the long-term continuation of the Chancellor's Diversity Initiative, and; c) providing recommendations regarding appropriate roles for the Commission in supporting and encouraging campus and community diversity initiatives at WV's higher education institutions.

"It is an honor to represent the Office of International Initiatives, Bluefield State College, and this region as a member of the Diversity Council," Jamkhandi observed. "I look forward to the opportunity to work together with my fellow Council members and achieve the Council's goals."

Dr. Robin Ware, Bluefield State College Beckley Campus Coordinator, addresses Wyoming East High School students during their recent visit to BSC at the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center. The students' visit was a highlight of Wyoming East's participation in the West Virginia GEAR UP program, a federally-funded initiative designed to help students plan, apply, and pay for training after high school.

(Beckley)—More than 125 Wyoming East High School students visited Bluefield State College at the Erma Byrd Center in Beckley, taking advantage of an opportunity to meet BSC faculty, staff, and administrators and learn about educational opportunities beyond high school.

The students’ visit was a highlight of Wyoming East’s participation in the West Virginia GEAR UP program, a federally-funded initiative designed to help students plan, apply, and pay for training after high school.

“The students were actively engaged in the program,” observed Dr. Robin Ware, Beckley Campus Coordinator.  They interacted with admissions, and financial aid staff, nursing and radiologic technology faculty, and others during their two hours on campus.  It was a pleasure to work with the students, principal Barry Smith, and assistant principal Steven Walls.”

West Virginia GEAR UP is designed to increase the academic performance and rigorous preparation of students for participation in postsecondary education, while also opening the door to college and other postsecondary education opportunities for students whose education might otherwise end after high school.

(Bluefield)—"The Kitchen Table," a one-person show written, directed and performed by Dr. Sharon Bebout-Carr, will be presented at Bluefield State College, November 10 (10:30 a.m. matinee), November 11 (7:30 p.m.) and November 12 (7:30 p.m.) in the Basic Science Auditorium.

Dr. Carr, Assistant Professor of Speech at BSC, notes that the play focuses upon a middle-aged woman's journey through past memories. "She is seeking to find meaning and to reaffirm her identity in the aftermath of her father's illness and death." Along the way, the audience meets the woman's father, mother, and brother, as well as a woman coal miner, the wife of a miner whose husband was grievously injured in a mining accident, and others whose voices contribute to her understanding (and ours) about what it means to confront issues of life, death, community, and identity.

Shortly after Dr. Carr had performed "The Kitchen Table," at Kutztown (PA) University, Kutztown faculty member Karen Blomain wrote, "I have seldom seen a performance that blends personal narrative, historical fact, and characterizations as this play does. Dr. Carr's engagement with the horror and beauty of such a life is accurate even to the evocation of the life underground."

"'The Kitchen Table' deals with the fabric of community, the safety net of family, and the touchstone of place," Carr explained. "We really lived in that coal mining community, dealing with loss and heartache, as we survived and transcended."

Following each performance, the audience is invited to take part in a "talkback" session, sharing experiences and insights. There is no admission charge to "The Kitchen Table," and the public is encouraged to attend.