Why I believe in giving back.

WINTER 2015
The Magazine of the University of South Carolina Upstate
Why I believe in giving back.
Brian Kelley ’04
SHOESTRING PLAYERS’
production of ‘Memigery’
gaining attention.
PAGE 12
1 BUSINESS STUDENT
stays the course,
maintains perspective.
PAGE 14
ATHLETICS WELCOMES
five new inductees into its
Hall of Fame
PAGE 19
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Upstate Magazine • Winter 2015
Editor: Tammy E. Whaley
Designer: Elvia Resendiz
Videographer: Matthew Johnson, ’14
Associate Editor: Meg Hunt
Photographer: Les Duggins
Contributing Writers: Carolyn Farr Shanesy,’95
Upstate Magazine publishes three times a year in printed format and three times
a year online-only.
The Magazine of the University of South Carolina Upstate
Editorial Offices
Upstate Magazine
Office of University Communications
800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC 29303
Phone: 864-503-5210 / Fax: 864-503-5264
E-mail: [email protected]
FEATURES
8
13
21
Class News
USC Upstate Alumni Association
800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC 29303
Phone: 864-503-5240 / Fax: 864-503-5264
E-mail: [email protected]
University of South Carolina Upstate
Thomas F. Moore, Ph.D., Chancellor of USC Upstate
Focus
y
t
l
u
c
a
F
o
Take Tw
4
9
10
The Impact of Giving
Whether as an endowed scholarship,
professorship or through other contributions, gifts
to the University have a lasting impact.
Making a Difference in the Lives of Youth
Alumnus turning his passion to serve into
effective change.
Founders Day Awards
Three recognized for distinguished service and
outstanding contributions.
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees
Nikki R. Haley, Governor
John C. von Lehe, Jr., Vice Chairman
Eugene P. Warr, Jr., Chairman
Chuck Allen, Paula Harper Bethea, J. Egerton Burroughs, Mark W. Buyck, Jr.,
Thomas C. Cofield, A.C. Fennell, III, C. Edward Floyd, M.D., William C. Hubbard,
William W. Jones, Jr., Toney J. Lister, Miles Loadholt, Hubert F. Mobley, Leah B.
Moody, C. Dorn Smith, III, M.D., Molly M. Spearman, Amy E. Stone, Secretary,
Thad H. Westbrook, Mack I. Whittle, Jr., Charles H. Williams
Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education
Thomas R. Young, III, Chair
Charles H. Babb, Secretary-Treasurer
Milton A. Smith, Jr., ’78, Vice Chair
C. Dan Adams, ’83, Russell W. Booker, Ph.D., Jane G. Bottsford, R.N., ’69, Susan
G. Clary, ’69, William R. Cobb, ’74, T. Charles Conrad, III, David L. Eubanks,
Ed.D., Jennifer C. Evins, Benjamin Graves, Harold D. McClain, Allen Newman,
John B. Travers, Emerson F. Wolf, Jr., Mike Wood, ’77
Emeritus: James R. Smith, ’72
Ex Officio: Toney J. Lister, Jim O. Ray, Ed.D.
University of South Carolina Upstate Foundation
Steve Harvey ’80, President
Chris Crowley, ’11 Treasurer
Victor Austin, Jr. ’90, Vice President
Karen Calhoun, Secretary
C. Dan Adams ’83, Ann Angermeier, Vic Bailey, III, Hope Blackley, Ralph Brendle,
Matt Cash ’06, Dan Collins ’03, Kenneth E. Darr, Jr., Chris Dorrance, Teri Ficicchy,
Richard Genoble, P. Kathryn Hicks, Charles W. (Chuck) Lowe ’72, Zerno Martin,
Cathy McCabe, Michael Meilinger ’93, Max Metcalf, David A. Miller ’90, Mark S.
Reilly, Tiffany Santagati-Simpson ’00, D. Ralph Settle, III, Stephanie Tillerson,
Cyndi Waters ’83, Irvine T. (Irv) Welling
Ex-Officio: Dr. Thomas F. Moore, Thomas R. Young, III, Dr. Faruk Tanyel,
Roger Sullivan
Emeritus: George William (Will) Gramling, Katie Hodge, Susan C. Jacobs ’80
17
21
Collaboration Defines True
Community Outreach
USC Upstate and Charles Lea Center program
creates spirit of possibilities.
Class Notes
* Brian Kelly ’04 is using his unique talents to help
others as he was helped.
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
USC Upstate Capital Development Foundation
George William (Will) Gramling, President
Tim Camp, Treasurer
Josh Henderson, Secretary
John Montgomery, Vice President
John Bauknight, Robert A. Brannon, Nancy Riehle
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extras. You can also link to the magazine and these extras
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2
2 A MESSAGE FROM THE
Chancellor
Dear Friends,
Spartans Head Coach Eddie Payne gives instructions to his team
at the Homecoming game against Stetson University.
Welcome to the Winter 2015 issue of the Upstate
Magazine. What an exciting time it is at USC
Upstate. While no single “publication” can
capture all that this University contributes and
means to individuals, families, and communities,
this issue gives examples that demonstrate the
range and level of such contributions. You will
find articles and presentations on a remarkable
variety of activities and accomplishments by
members of the Upstate community: faculty,
students, staff, alumni, and friends.
Who knew that we have a state champion in
karate as Director of the Metropolitan Studies Institute and Vice Chancellor for
Planning and Institutional Research? You will be amazed at the accomplishments
of the five newest members of our Sports Hall of Fame. Please read about several
ways students and faculty are engaged in serving the larger community. If you
haven’t see “Memigery,” you have missed the student written and produced play
that is a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region IV finalist. And you don’t want to miss all the pictures and information about the biggest and
best Homecoming in Upstate history.
The UPSTATE Gallery on Main exposes the University's
permanent collections and exhibitions to a much wider audience.
I’m pleased to share two of the latest Upstate developments with you. UPSTATE
Gallery on Main recently opened at 172 E. Main Street in downtown Spartanburg
and is dedicated to contemporary and original exhibitions that include selections
from the permanent collection by artists Andy Warhol, Jerry Uelsmann and Beatrice
Riese. It will also be a “lab” for experiential learning as students will be involved
and working at the gallery on all activities. A partnership with Spartanburg County
Communications 911 is directing all of the University’s emergency calls to county
dispatchers, which will improve services and enhance the safety of members of
the campus community and our police officers in the field.
We all know that these things are possible because of effort, commitment, and
support from thousands of individuals and groups over the 48-year history of
USC Upstate. We continue our tradition of delivering transformative educational
experiences to students who come to us from across the upstate, the state, the
nation, and the world. Thank you for your involvement with USC Upstate.
Go Spartans!
USC Upstate students enjoy the bonfire tradition at Homecoming.
Sincerely,
Dr. Thomas F. Moore
Chancellor
Klay Peterson, director of Public Safety and chief of police at USC
Upstate, went above and beyond to ensure that everyone knew of
the 911 changes. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QjLMNfJjkE
3 2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
KEEPING DREAMS
ALIVE…
Building A Legacy of Giving That
Fosters Support and Guidance
BY CAROLYN FARR SHANESY ’95
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
4 Some dreams start with a simple act.
Take for instance the early beginnings of the University of South Carolina Upstate.
click here for video extra.
From humble beginnings to avert a serious healthcare labor shortage to a University that
has seen continued growth in response to the community’s needs, USC Upstate’s mission
that was true 48 years ago, remains so today – delivering an educational experience that
will prepare students to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world.
Providing this type of education depends on the generosity of alumni, faculty, staff, parents
and friends. Donors come from all walks of life, but all have one thing in common – a love
and passion for USC Upstate. It’s a legacy of giving that will help the next generation of
USC Upstate students not only reach their goals, but achieve them.
5 2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Kelley has added 25 to 30 images to a limited collection and, in
partnership with Arnold’s “I Can Do Anything Foundation,” has
designated that the monies generated when sold will go to the
Dr. Mac Arnold Scholarship established in 2014 at USC Upstate.
The photos are valued at about $7,000.
USC Upstate alumnus Brian Kelley ’04, right, initiated the
Dr. Mac Arnold Scholarship in honor of Arnold, left, for his
passion of education and the arts.
The Dr. Mac Arnold Scholarship
USC Upstate wasn’t the first college that Brian Kelley ’04 attended,
but it’s the one that has made an impact on his life. An artist and
photographer, the Fork Shoals native was in his senior year at
Erskine College when he learned his degree program was being
cut from the curriculum.
“I was from the country, there on an academic scholarship and
living on moderate means,” Kelley said. “I wanted to finish my
degree, but where could I do that and how would I pay for it?”
Kelley met USC Upstate professor Jane Nodine through a class
he was taking. It was Nodine who would convince him to visit the
Spartanburg campus and take a look at the art program.
“At USC Upstate, everything just sort of fell into place for me,”
Kelley said. “I visited the Spartanburg campus, and it just seemed
like a perfect fit for me. ”
Kelley would complete his degree through the 2 Plus 2 program,
but the staff and the program made such an impression on him
that he now wants to give back so that other students gifted in the
arts can find the same support and guidance he found.
Kelley started kicking around the idea with his friend of more
than 10 years, legendary Blues musician Dr. Mac Arnold. The
two struck up an unlikely friendship, entrenched in a love of good
Blues music and a desire to keep the arts alive in public schools.
“I enjoyed my time at USC Upstate, but without scholarships
and grants I would have never been able to complete college,”
Kelley said. “The Dr. Mac Arnold Scholarship Fund gives me the
opportunity to give back and help future art and music scholars
in their pursuit of a career in the arts.”
The Dr. Joseph C. and Mrs. Deanna M.
Bowman Scholarship
Dr. Joe Bowman spent a lifetime at USC
Upstate.
“It was our home for more than 40
years, we watched it grow,” he said. “We
moved into the first building on campus,
and we, the first faculty members and
administrators, put the chairs together, we
moved the books from the library at the
hospital. There was no one else to do it. We were proud to do it.”
It’s that same source of pride that led Bowman and his wife,
Deanna, to make a bigger commitment to the school in the form
of the first endowed scholarship in athletics.
“In spite of the bad times, the hard times, USC Upstate has been
great for us and for our family,” Bowman said. “My oldest son
graduated from here and our younger son started his education
here. This place is a major part of our lives as a family.”
Bowman was hired in 1969 to teach physical education, but he
also served as the head men’s basketball coach, in addition to
coaching golf and tennis. It was a time when Bowman said USC
Columbia wasn’t exactly helpful to folks in Spartanburg, and they
were determined to make the University successful.
“Academics were always first,” Bowman said. “It was a source of
pride. We started with 177 students and we had goals we had to
“The first time I ever saw him, he was driving his pickup truck in the
Fork Shoals Christmas Parade,” Kelley said. “I had to meet him.”
Kelley would go visit Arnold at his home on Slatton Shoals Road,
their conversations would turn from life in Fork Shoals to Arnold’s
life as a musician.
“I grew up on the same street with a man who played with people
like John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and I never knew
it,” Kelley said. “Then, one day, he told me to get on the bus and
go with them on the road.”
Kelley would follow the group around for a couple of years, taking
photos of Arnold and his band, Plate Full of Blues.
From those images, Kelley is building a foundation for future
Upstate students.
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Dr. Joe Bowman and his wife, Deanna, hope the scholarship
they recently endowed will inspire others to give back to the
place that gave them a good start.
6 meet. We needed 700 students to add a third year, so we would
work together to recruit 774.”
Bowman said the hard work of the faculty, staff and administration
helped them change minds in Columbia.
“It was one of those neat experiences where we all banded together
and we were proud and worked hard to maintain what we were
building,” Bowman said. “We were truly a family.”
Bowman watched as the campus grew and transitioned from coach
to faculty member. Though he retired from teaching full-time in
1998, he continued to teach part time through 2010.
“This scholarship is our way of giving back to the University for
what it gave us,” Bowman said. “We hope that it will inspire former
students and others to give back to the place that gave them a
good start.”
The William S. Moore II Palmetto
Professorship
Dr. Elnora Stuart was recently named the recipient of the William
S. Moore II Palmetto Professorship.
Stuart, an associate dean in the George
Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business
and Economics, is the second person to
receive the honor.
Established in 1996 by Bill Moore and his
family, the professorship was established to
promote quality programming and student
services for business students in the
Spartanburg community.
An executive for the textile company Reeves Brothers, Inc., Moore
later purchased and served as president of the Spartanburgbased fundraising company, Sally Foster Gift Wrap. As a board
member and chair of the Carolina-Piedmont Foundation, now the
USC Upstate Foundation, the late businessman advocated for
the business college to create co-ops and internships within the
business community. Today, Stuart and others at The George are
working to make those relationships stronger.
Stuart’s proposal to Dr. Frank Rudisill, dean of the Business
College, was to grow the internship program in a way that makes
USC Upstate the first thought when businesses are looking for
a new hire.
“The way we grow our internship program can be a significant
differentiator for the Johnson College,” Stuart said. “We want to
provide top-quality intern candidates to local businesses and to
be able to provide training for our students that will prepare them
to go into those internships and be successful.”
Rudisill said he likes Stuart’s ideas because it will open more
doors for students.
7 “We want to be proactive
with our students and
we’ve never really had
someone who could
sit down and put some
strategic thought and
planning behind our
internship program,”
Rudisill said. “We
have some wonderful
community partners,
who provide incredible
internships for our
students, and this is an
opportunity for us to grow that partnership. We want to be able
to look at the employer’s needs and be able to provide them with
the type of students they need, the skills that they would require,
so that our students hit the door running.”
Stuart said the funds from the endowed professorship will be
used to develop a number of initiatives to enhance the internship
experience. All interns will be required to participate in the
existing Johnson College Professionalism Program, a series of
workshops that focus on the soft skills needed in the workplace.
New initiatives include intern events that would bring in speakers
from the business community and, in the future, a semi-annual
trip to a major city to visit businesses to see how they operate.
Moore’s son, Spartanburg businessman John P. Moore, is excited
about Dr. Stuart’s plans.
“I think it’s a plan that my father would be proud to support,” Moore
said. “Education, in his mind, was the best possible way for you
to be successful. My father would be extremely pleased to see
where the University is today and to have his name associated
with a bridge for students to real-world experience, he would have
loved that – couldn’t be a better way to honor him.”
This scholarship is our way
of giving back to the University for
what it gave us. We hope that it will
inspire former students and others
to give back to the place that gave
them a good start.
For more information about establishing a scholarship
or designating specific gifts, contact Bea Walters Smith
at 864-503-5235 or [email protected]. To
learn about the various options for giving, visit www.
uscupstate.edu/advancement.
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Puncke Leaves Unparalleled Legacy of Service
BY TAMMY E. WHALEY
Perhaps it was the civil engineering education he received at
the U.S. Naval Academy that trained him for very challenging
situations where tightly structured deadlines were routine. The
two years he spent on a minesweeper certainly prepared him to
work long hours, be fortified for nerve-wracking situations, and
to build relationships based on trust and respect.
The combination of these experiences mixed with his time in
Vietnam and a career with the Navy Civil Engineer Corps undeniably
prepared Rick Puncke to lead the facilities management efforts
at USC Upstate for the past 22 years.
When he came to the University in 1993, he had retired from
the Navy and the campus was still in its infancy stage, mostly
contained to the eastern section of the campus and consisting of
nine buildings and athletic fields. His first project was to oversee
the construction of the Olin B. Sansbury, Jr. Campus Life Center,
a 55,000-square-foot facility that opened in 1995.
With his steady, quiet demeanor and solutions-based approach,
Puncke provided unparalleled leadership in the implementation
of the 10-year, $185 million campus master plan that was initiated
in 1997. The master plan transformed the physical footprint of
the campus with new academic facilities, expanded parking,
residential housing, athletics and recreational facilities, beautification
initiatives, and new infrastructure to create highly visible entrances
to campus that included expansion of existing roads and creation
of new roads.
USC Upstate,” said
Dr. John C. Stockwell,
former chancellor who
executed the master
plan.
Over the years, Puncke
served as a liaison
for the University
between USC and
with numerous local
and state agencies
to build new facilities
and to make capital
improvements to older
University buildings.
He also led the campus
in sustainability efforts that resulted in state and national recognition.
“For the past 22 years, Rick Puncke has been invaluable to USC
Upstate,” said Chancellor Tom Moore. “His expertise, integrity and
relationships with external partners and vendors enabled USC
Upstate to best utilize capital dollars and resources to provide topnotch facilities and a safe environment for students, employees
and citizens within the University community.”
Puncke retired on January 31, 2015, leaving a lasting legacy on
the USC Upstate campus.
“He was vital in successfully growing the campus from its once
small beginnings to the size and complexity we now know as
The University of South Carolina Upstate presents
Bob Woodward
Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and one of America’s
preeminent investigative reporters and non-fiction authors
“Presidential Leadership and the Price of Politics”
Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 7 p.m. • USC Upstate
Sponsorship opportunities are still available,
contact Bea Walters Smith at (864) 503-5235 or [email protected].
Tickets on sale now at www.uscupstate.edu/woodward
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
8 TURNING PASSION INTO
EFFECTIVE CHANGE
2008 Alumnus Making A Difference in the Lives of Today’s Youth
BY MEG HUNT
For Victor Durrah, Jr., ’08, talking about change is fine, but if you
want to effect change in yourself and in your community, you
must be willing to tap into your true passions and, as the phrase
attributed to Mahatma Gandhi says, “Be the change you wish to
see in the world.”
From an early age, Durrah knew he wanted to serve his community,
so when it came time to choose a college, he chose the University
of South Carolina Upstate for its education program because “I
wanted to teach for a living.”
“I’ve always wanted to help our youth in an impactful way,” he
noted. “I grew up in a disadvantaged neighborhood in a singleparent home, but I had mentors who poured into me as a youth.”
Once on campus, Durrah took advantage of the various opportunities
to become active in college life. He joined
Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, played intramural
sports, coached youth basketball at a local
church, became an AmeriCorps 7 volunteer,
and was an active member of the African
American Association, as well as the NonProfit Leadership Alliance Club.
So that year, he and
Boyd established
Brothers Restoring
Urban Hope, Inc.,
Services (BRUH) and
filed as a non-profit
organization. Eight years later, they are still in the mentoring
business, focusing on restoring the urban community through
mentorship, leadership training and spiritual guidance.
“Our program is so important today with youth who lack leadership
in the home, community and schools,” said Durrah, the first in
his family to graduate from college. “Our organization strives to
make personal connections with those we mentor, helping them
to discover who they are, developing their strengths and helping
them meet their challenges.”
And some of those challenges are bigger
WE ALL MAKE TIME FOR WHAT for some than for others, but it doesn’t mean
don’t keep trying to help young people or
WE FEEL IS IMPORTANT. I we
communities face those challenges, he noted.
FEEL THAT GIVING BACK IS
“We do as much as we can, although not
IMPORTANT.
every kid we reach makes it through their
“It was very important for me to be engaged
with the college community because I was able to build leadership
skills, friendships, collaborations and character through being
involved on campus,” emphasized Durrah. “As I became more
active in the civic clubs, specifically the Non-Profit Leadership
Alliance and Kappa Alpha Psi, I was able to tap into my true
passion to serve the community.”
It was at that point Durrah knew he had found the right outlet for
his passion. He switched his major to Non-Profit Administration and
Management and began working toward his professional goals.
During his junior year, Durrah and classmate Clevon Boyd took
to heart the lessons – and challenges – presented by professors
in their Interdisciplinary Studies classes.
“One professor would ask us all the time, ‘Who is here to learn
to run their own non-profit organization?’” remembered Durrah.
“Clevon and I would always raise our hands. We truly believed
in our vision to create a mentoring organization that would help
local youth identify with themselves and build character.”
situation,” he added. “But when we see a
kid transition into a respectable, productive, mature and happy
young man that is rewarding because at that point, they are able
to become a leader and leave the victim role behind.”
Never one to shy away from an opportunity to help youth, Durrah
is also a Senior District Executive with the Boy Scouts of America
Spartanburg County (BSA) where his responsibilities run the
gamut from program coordination and fundraising to marketing
and board recruitment.
His passion for giving back has allowed him to focus on learning
how to be most effective in his efforts. In addition to graduating with
a degree in non-profit administration and management, Durrah also
graduated from the Grassroots Leadership Development Institute
and is currently participating in the Non-Profit Administration
Certification Program at Clemson University.
When asked how he’s able to balance both his work with BRUH
and BSA, his answer was simple, “We all make time for what we
feel is important. I feel that giving back is important.”
For more information about Brothers Restoring Urban Hope, Inc., visit www.bruhmentor.org, Facebook: BRUH Mentor or e-mail
[email protected]. For more information about the Boy Scouts of America in Spartanburg County, visit www.palmettocouncil.org,
e-mail [email protected] or call 864-585-4391.
9 2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
48 Annual
th
Founders’ Day Celebration
C. Dan Adams ’83
The Spartanburg County Commission
for Higher Education recognized three
individuals who have contributed greatly to
the University of South Carolina Upstate at
its 48th annual Founders’ Day Celebration
on February 19.
C. Dan Adams ’83, president and chief
executive officer of The Capital Corporation,
received the Founders’ Day Award, which
provides recognition to those persons in
the larger community who have been of
exceptional assistance to the University.
Adams was honored for his service to
USC Upstate as an alumnus, donor
and member of the Spartanburg County
Commission for Higher Education and
the USC Upstate Foundation. Adams has
demonstrated extraordinary commitment to
providing higher education to the students
of the Upstate and has utilized his political
connections to assist the University in
educating the South Carolina Legislature
and the general public regarding the need
for parity funding among all 10 South
Carolina public comprehensive institutions.
The Award for Distinguished Service, which
honors those who have demonstrated a
long and distinguished career of service
characterized by exceptional dedication
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Jimm Cox
to the work at hand and to the institution,
was presented to James “Jimm” R. Cox
and Frederick “Rick” D. Puncke, Jr.
Jimm Cox, now in his 42nd year of teaching
in the University of South Carolina
system, was lauded for his extraordinary
commitment to students both in and out
of the classroom as a teacher and mentor.
Cox had provided exceptional leadership of
the theatre program, earning it nation and
international recognition and collaboration
such as advancing to the American College
Theatre Festival Regional IV finals and an
exclusive partnership with The Rose Theatre
in London. For the past 20 summers, Cox
has led a five-week foreign study program
in London exposing students to theatre on
an international stage. He has collected a
host of accolades while at USC Upstate,
include being cited for excellence in directing
by the John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts and the American College
Theatre Festival, named the 2009 South
Carolina Art Administrator of the Year in
Higher Education, nominated for the Andrew
Heiskell Award for Innovation in International
Education, and twice nominated Cox for the
United States Professor of the Year Award.
Rick Puncke, who retired at the end of
Rick Puncke
January as director of facilities management,
was being honored for his 22-year career
at USC Upstate that was characterized
by his exceptional dedication of his time
and talent in working to provide top-notch
campus facilities in an ever growing and
changing environment.
Puncke’s first project was to oversee
the construction of the Olin B. Sansbury,
Jr. Campus Life Center, which opened
in 1995. He provided unparalleled
leadership in the implementation of the
10-year, $185 million master plan that
literally transformed both the physical
footprint and reputation of the institution
with new academic facilities, expanded
parking, residential housing, athletics
and recreational facilities, beautification
initiatives, and new infrastructure to create
a highly visible entrance to campus that
included expansion of existing roads and
creation of new roads.
He was vital in successfully growing the
campus from its once small beginnings to
the size and complexity now known as USC
Upstate. In addition, he led the campus in
sustainability efforts that resulted in state
and national recognition, and he fostered
and maintained relationships with external
10 10
USC UPSTATE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES
New Appointments
The University of South Carolina Upstate Foundation recently
elected new members to its board.
Alumnus of the Year Award in recognition of his many professional
accomplishments and philanthropic work.
President of the Foundation is Steve Harvey
’80. A native of Spartanburg, Harvey is president
of Roebuck Advertising, Inc., a 39-year-old
marketing and promotions company. He has
29 years of experience creating marketing/
sales promotions and employee incentive
programs and has been recognized with two
national awards for promotional campaigns. In
addition, Harvey is a public speaking coach, speech writer and
public relations consultant.
The Foundation, chartered in 1973 as the Carolina Piedmont
Foundation and renamed in 2009, has raised and administered
funds primarily for capital construction and endowment purposes.
Accredited as a non-profit organization under section 501(c) 3 of
the Internal Revenue Code, the Foundation raises private funds
for facilities and programs, administers scholarships and loan
endowments, and supports USC Upstate public service activities.
To date, the Foundation has helped to fund numerous University
facilities including the Palmetto House residential halls, “the
George” – home of the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of
Business & Economics, the Health Education Center, the Hodge
Arena which is home to Spartan Athletics, the Jacobs Arboretum
and the Rampey Center, as well as numerous campus land
acquisitions. The Foundation’s 28-member Board of Directors
oversees Foundation fundraising efforts, as well as endowment
and current funds.
Victor Austin, Jr. ’90 was elected vice president.
A native of Greenville, Austin is founder and
president of Palmetto Home Care Upstate,
LLC, which specializes in providing individuals
with non-medical in home care to promote and
maintain confident and independent lifestyles.
He currently serves on the Executive Board of
the Blue Ridge Council of the Boy Scouts of
America. Austin’s past board experience includes The Advisory
Board of the Urban League of the Upstate, USC Upstate Alumni
Association Board of Directors, and The American Heart Association.
Elected as a new board member is C. Dan
Adams ’83, president and CEO of The Capital
Corporation. He co-founded The Capital
Corporation in 1991 as an investment banking
firm focusing on mergers and acquisitions to
the middle market. He has over 30 years of
experience in finance and has directed over 200
merger and acquisition transactions during his
career. Active in civic affairs, Adams currently serves on several
nonprofit boards including The Spartanburg County Commission
for Higher Education, The Museum Association, Artisphere Board,
Heart Ball and Rose Ball. He has also served on the board of the
Boys and Girls Club. He was the USC Upstate 2008 Distinguished
partners and vendors that enabled USC
Upstate to best utilize resources.
Dr. Kevin Krause '06, an adjunct instructor of
history, gave the keynote address where he
shared his personal story of being paralyzed
from the chest down after a diving accident.
Four years later he enrolled at USC Upstate
to complete his college degree and soon
embarked upon an unexpected journey
that led to earning a Ph.D. in history and
returning to campus to teach, where he
is highly-respected and admired among
students and faculty.
11 11 In addition to the new appointments, the Foundation Board includes
Chris Crowley ’11, Treasurer, Karen Calhoun, Secretary, Ann
Angermeier, Vic Bailey, III, Hope Blackley, Ralph Brendle, Matt
Cash ’06, Dan Collins ’03, Kenneth E. Darr, Jr. , Chris Dorrance,
Teri Ficicchy, Richard Genoble , P. Kathryn Hicks, Charles W.
(Chuck) Lowe ’72, Zerno Martin, Cathy McCabe, Michael Meilinger
’93, Max Metcalf, David A. Miller ’90, Mark S. Reilly, Tiffany
Santagati-Simpson ’00, D. Ralph Settle, III, Stephanie Tillerson,
Cyndi Waters ’83, and Irvine T. (Irv) Welling.
Serving as Ex-Officio members are Dr. Thomas F. Moore, Chancellor,
Thomas R. Young, III, South Carolina Commission for Higher
Education Chairman, Dr. Faruk Tanyel, Faculty Representative,
and Roger Sullivan, Executive Director.
Emeritus members are George William (Will) Gramling, Katie
Hodge, Susan C. Jacobs ’80.
“The Spartanburg County Commission
for Higher Education is pleased to host
this celebration each year as it provides
an opportunity to pay particular tribute to
individuals who have made outstanding
contributions in support of USC Upstate,”
said Thomas R. Young, III, chairman of the
Spartanburg County Commission for Higher
Education. “The unwavering commitment
of these awardees and the vital role they
each play in enriching the legacy of USC
Upstate is a true testament to why this
University was founded in 1967.”
click here for video extra.
Magazine
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Shoestring Players'
"MEMIGERY" ADVANCES TO REGIONAL FINALS OF THE
KENNEDY CENTER AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATRE FESTIVAL
BY CAROLYN FARR SHANESY ’95
The University of South Carolina Upstate’s Shoestring
Players’ production of “Memigery” has been selected as a
regional finalist for the Region IV finals of The Kennedy Center
American College Theatre Festival. The winner of the regionals
will advance to perform at The Kennedy Center.
“The last six productions I have directed have been juried by a
representative of the The Kennedy Center American College
Theatre Festival and out of those, four have been cited,”
said Jimm Cox, professor of theatre. “This is the first time in
40 years that we have made it to the regional finals for our
production of “Memigery.”
“Memigery” is a compilation of stories written by USC Upstate
theatre students about memories of images from their
childhoods, with music composed by student Elliot Ratgen.
The production was initially performed at The Rose Theatre in
London as a participant in the International Youth Arts Festival
and most recently at the South Carolina Theatre Association
Convention.
“We started by sitting in a circle and we had blank pieces of
white paper in front of us and we had X number of weeks to
put something onto those pieces of paper,” Cox said. “Students
began to tell their stories and they sort of put them together in a
narrative and then I revised to give it some dramatic structure,
helped with turning a phrase differently for an audience.”
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
The group began to capture physical images that would
represent the words being spoken. With only one dancer in the
piece, there is a lot of stage movement. The show runs about
68 minutes.
“It is such an honor to be selected and to be this close to a
performance at The Kennedy Center,” Cox said. “The visibility
this brings to the campus, to our program and to these students
makes all the sweat, toil and tears worth it.”
The cast and technical crew includes: Jordyn Chelf of New
Mexico, Seth Kemp of Landrum, Harley Bevill of Greer, Andrea
Azmuendi of Mexico, Ryan Barry of Spartanburg, Alistair Mann
of Spartanburg, Garrett Gibson of Spartanburg, Michael Quinn
of Spartanburg, Eliot Ratgen of Greenville, Jake Salgado of
Alabama and Bethany Lancaster of Spartanburg.
Region IV is comprised of participating colleges and
universities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina,
Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.
“Memigery” is sponsored by the USC Upstate Office of
Academic Affairs, USC Upstate Faculty and Staff, Mr. and Mrs.
Bernard F. Odasz and the General Electric Foundation, the
Greenville Healthcare System and Mr. and Mrs. George Dean
Johnson, Jr. - Phifer Johnson, a family foundation.
12 12 FACULTY
News
Faculty and staff members at the University of South Carolina
Upstate are committed to ensuring that students appreciate the
journey toward earning their degree and are able to maximize
opportunities within the University community.
s
u
c
o
F
y
t
Facul
o
w
T
e
Tak
And as gifted as they are at their jobs, whether in a classroom or
office setting, many of them have other interests, too; interests that
help give them even greater perspective for encouraging students
and colleagues to be all they can be.
“Faculty Focus – Take Two” brings to life these other interests in
a video-only feature of Upstate Magazine. Through on-location
video shoots and in-depth interviews, we can now share some
remarkable stories of what faculty and staff members do in their
spare time.
We hope you enjoy the show and look forward to hearing from you
with more leads for “Take Two.”
WHAT'S PLAYING
Ready for Anything
DR. KATHLEEN BRADY
Vice Chancellor of Planning, Institutional Research and
Metropolitan Studies
What started as a way to stay in shape has become an
integral part of life for Dr. Kathleen Brady. Three years
after stepping onto the mat at Carolina Karate for her
first lesson, she is now a brown belt and two-time South
Carolina karate champion in her age division.
approach are designed to bring out the best in every
individual. And bringing out her best is clearly what
Brady believes she’s accomplishing.
“Whether I’m multitasking or working on one project,
I feel more confident,” she added. “It’s about respect,
discipline, balance, peace and being ready for
anything.”
“I’m surprised that I love it as much as I do,” she said.
“There is a huge sense of accomplishment in terms of
learning technique, using the power that’s already in
your body and being able to go within yourself to ‘block
out’ all the extra ‘stuff.’”
She’s also found that many of the disciplines of karate
correlate with those of her “day” job as Vice Chancellor
of Planning, Institutional Research and Metropolitan
Studies.
“Both require strict attention to detail and full
engagement at that specific time,” she said. “It’s a
very detailed, very disciplined approach that takes full
concentration.”
Which are the lessons Sensei Tommy Hood of Carolina
Karate hopes his students learn. His curriculum and
13 2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Staying the Course…
Despite Tragedy and Challenges, Blandin Maintains Perspective
BY CAROLYN FARR SHANESY ’95
However, it was the one thing that she had never done for herself.
After graduating from Parker High School in Greenville, Blandin
began working and started a family.
Blandin works days at the processing plant for the U.S. Postal
Service in Greenville. She studies on lunch breaks, attends
classes at night and the day she will graduate is now just a few
months away. But her journey to cross the stage with a degree
in hand is not one without heartache and struggle along the way.
Just a short time after beginning classes at the Greenville campus,
Blandin received a phone call that changed her world.
As her four children got older, there really wasn’t a reason that she
couldn’t concentrate on her own college career, so she applied
at the University of South Carolina Upstate.
When the phone rang, it was early in the morning on Aug. 30,
2009. “I knew if someone was calling that early in the morning,
something was wrong.”
Zella Blandin knew the power of a college education. It was one
of the things she had always told her children, “get a college
education and you can go anywhere.”
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
14 As she listened to the caller, her stomach was in
knots. “‘Ms. Blandin, there’s been an accident…’”
The caller, the dean of students at Allen University
in Columbia, told her that she needed to drive to
Columbia and go to Palmetto Regional Hospital.
It was there Blandin would learn that her 20-yearold son, Jerry, a student at Allen University, had
died as the result of a head-on collision involving
a drunk driver. A second student also was killed
and a third severely injured.
“Part of me died that day, too,” Blandin said. “He
wanted to transfer back to USC Upstate so that
we could graduate together.”
Heartbroken over the loss of her son, Blandin
took more than a year off from school. Coming
back was hard, but something she knew she
had to do.
Zella Blandin works diligently to balance a full-time job and her college
coursework, but through it all, she keeps her focus on graduation in May.
“I had a good support system – my family, my friends, my coworkers
– they all were there for me,” Blandin said. “When I decided to
come back, I came and talked to Dr. Judy Prince, she told me,
‘you are on the right track, come on back. If you need to take
more time off, you take time off. But you are going to graduate.’”
Blandin decided to honor Jerry’s life and switched her major from
interdisciplinary studies to business administration.
“My college experience has been challenging and joyful,” Blandin
said. “I had wanted to focus on psychology and maybe one day
be a counselor. The switch to business administration has been
a good one.”
Blandin said that Prince gave great advice in telling her not to
rush herself, to take one or two classes at a time, and that sooner
than she thought, she would be ready to graduate.
“The administrative staff, especially Dr. Prince, Stacey Mills and
Rosie Meindl, have provided guidance, leadership, direction,
knowledge and solutions throughout my time here. Being a college
student is exciting. It is all I thought it would be and more, and
it’s been because I’ve had these people watching out for me.”
Blandin said her children have helped her study and have told
her all of the same things she used to tell them.
“‘You can’t quit, keep pushing, you can do this,’” Blandin said.
“So I’ve cheered my way to the finish line with their support. I
feel like I’m a better student than I would have been earlier in
life. Working full-time, makes
be organized, to use your time
15 you
wisely, to study an hour when you have an hour.”
If she had it all to do over again, Blandin said she wouldn’t think
twice.
“When people ask what I’m going to do with my degree, I usually
respond ‘what will I do without it,” Blandin said.
15 After graduation in May, Blandin hopes to continue working with
the Postal Service and through their upward mobility program,
find a job in the business sector or the management sector.
But for the next months, Blandin is soaking it all up. She said
some days she looks around at her classmates and she realizes
she’s not the oldest one sitting there.
“I try to encourage young people to understand the importance
of education, to encourage my peers to seek a degree of their
own. You’re never too old.”
But she also notices the faces of the young men, their mannerisms
and she thinks about the young man that should have been
seated there with her.
“I love to listen to these young men talk, because they’ve got
jokes,” Blandin said. “Some are mild-mannered and polite, they
remind me of my son. They remind me that he’s still here with
me on this journey. And in my heart, I feel like we are still going
to cross that stage together.”
Editor’s Note: Jabari Harding, the driver of the vehicle involved in
the crash, pleaded guilty to two counts of Reckless Homicide and
was sentenced to prison for a term of 10 years on each charge,
to be served concurrently. Harding waived a parole hearing last
year and according to media accounts was scheduled for release
in February.
When people ask what I’m
going to do with my degree, I usually
respond ‘what will I do without it.'
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
COLLABORATION DEFINES TRUE
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
USC Upstate and Charles Lea Center Program Creates
Spirit of Possibilities
BY MEG HUNT
Participants in the USC Upstate School of Education’s
Charles Lea College of Educational Enrichment
program were honored for their accomplishments
during a graduation ceremony in December.
Since 2006, the School of Education at the University of South
Carolina Upstate and the Charles Lea Center have collaborated
in a college enrichment program that offers classes on campus
for adults with special needs.
This community outreach program, known as the College Enrichment
Experience, has grown from serving 50 participants to now more
than 350 in just eight years and continues to serve as a viable
example of how these types of educational partnerships truly
make a difference.
“Many USC Upstate students have had little or no interaction with
persons with disabilities, so interacting in this setting allows Upstate
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
students to be directly involved with this population and enables a
connection to individuals,” said Dr. Laura Hooks, program director
and USC Upstate professor of early childhood education. “Many
University students are quick to tell me how much the program’s
participants are able to do. It is a great way to focus on strengths
not weaknesses.”
Each academic semester, participants from the Charles Lea Center
make a selection from the program’s course listings. They then
attend class one night a week at USC Upstate. A number of School
of Education students volunteer with this program each semester
and receive clinical/observation hours for their involvement. Faculty
members also lend their expertise in teaching the various courses.
16 Courses offered include Reading, Consumer Math, Science,
Computer, Health & Fitness, Music, Art, Crafts, Sign Language
and Zumba/Dance.
After completing five courses, participants earn their Initial Degree
of Educational Enrichment. When they complete eight courses,
they earn the Advanced Degree of Educational Enrichment. Upon
completion of 12 courses, participants earn the Exceptional Degree
of Educational Enrichment. Once participants have earned all of
the degrees, they can spend two years as interns before being
eligible to assist University instructors.
“I heard about the Charles Lea Program in my Exceptional
Learners class,” said USC Upstate sophomore Kayla Sherbert.
“It’s really made a difference in my life seeing my students having
fun, enjoying the activities we have for them and helping them
further their education.”
In addition to the benefit the participants themselves receive, their
parents see the program as a positive avenue for interaction.
“It means Mark has a chance for a social outlet that’s not open
to him any other way,” said his mother
Marilyn Clarkson. “It gives him a sense
of self-worth, as well as an opportunity
for social interaction.”
For more than 40 years, the Charles Lea
Center has provided innovative services
that often cannot be found elsewhere in
the Upstate. The collaboration with USC
Upstate to provide an inventive approach
to continued learning is a testament to
the commitment both the Center and the
University have to meeting the needs of
the community at large.
and that many participants’ families didn’t believe they would
ever see added Cyndi Beacham, president of the Charles Lea
Center Foundation.
“For USC Upstate to be able to offer this kind of program is a
meaningful example of how educational partnerships can produce
positive outcomes with rewarding and ongoing effects,” she noted.
For USC Upstate to be
able to offer this kind
of program is a meaningful
example of how educational
partnerships can produce positive
outcomes with rewarding and
ongoing effects.
“This is a great opportunity for our
individuals to experience college life and to become more
integrated in the community,” said CLC Executive Director Dr.
Jerry Bernard. “Traditionally, people with disabilities are viewed
as not being able to learn, and that’s just not true.”
The collaborative nature of a partnership like this provides
something many program participants didn’t think was possible
Judy Adams McGregor, mother of a
College Enrichment Experience participant
concurs.
“This program offers my daughter, Megan,
and the other participants unconditional
acceptance,” said McGregor. “It means
that I can see my daughter spend time
with her peers while she is learning new
things and building her self-esteem.”
Megan gets super excited on Wednesdays
and loves coming to USC Upstate,
according to McGregor. And though this
is only her third class, she also notes that
they are all looking forward to Megan’s completion of the fifth class.
“Everybody deserves a chance to go to college and without this
program that would not be happening for all of these very special
adults,” noted McGregor. “We are looking forward to Megan’s
graduation day; I just know she will be so proud, as will I.”
This program is an example of how these types of collaborative
efforts can not only create new opportunities where none existed
before, but can demonstrate the intrinsic value of developing such
opportunities that lead to an improved quality of life which effects
positive change for all involved.
“The Charles Lea Center is forward thinking and very supportive
of this partnership,” said Hooks. “Their support and vision have
enabled this partnership to grow and strengthen. It is a win-win for
both USC Upstate students and those who come to the College
Enrichment Program. I am honored to be a part of this program.”
17 2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
FACULTY
FAST FORWARD
MONTESO COORDINATING TRANSLATING AND
INTERPRETING PANEL
Maria Monteso, Spanish instructor in the Department of Language,
Literature and Composition, has spearheaded efforts for the
first Translating and Interpreting Panel to be held March 23 in
USC Upstate’s Tukey Theater. The program will focus on raising
awareness about the quality and ethics of professional translating
and interpreting. Despite today’s demand for Spanish translators
and interpreters in the United States, the number of unqualified
translators and interpreters continues to hinder effective integration
of the Hispanic community.
BUTLER SERVES THE NEEDS OF BUSINESS
TRANSFER STUDENTS
Prospective business students wishing to transfer to the George
Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics will find
a new resource with the hiring of Sarah C. Butler as the transfer
advisor and student services coordinator. She will provide an
array of services to transfer students, current students enrolled
at the USC Upstate Greenville Campus and prospective transfer
students from community colleges.
BECK SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF REGIONAL
TEACHER EDUCATORS ORGANIZATION
Dr. Judy Beck, interim director of Greenville Campus and director
of Teacher Education Programs, was elected president of the
Southeastern Regional Association of Teacher Educators (SRATE)
earlier this year.
She was also recently elected to the Association of Teacher
Education Board of Directors and currently serves as a member of
the Legislative and Niagara Falls Planning Committee. In addition,
she is executive director for the South Carolina Association of
Teacher Educators (SCATE).
GOLDBERG RECOGNIZED AS FEATURED SCHOLAR
BY USC OFFICE OF RESEARCH
Dr. Abraham Goldberg, assistant professor of political science,
has leveraged his research program to promote citizenship and
livable communities throughout South Carolina.
He recently released the South Carolina Civic Health Index, which
analyzes political participation, community involvement, and
neighborhood engagement rates across residents with varying
levels of educational attainment, race, and age. The report offers
recommendations aimed at enhancing citizenship across the state.
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
TURNER RECOGNIZED WITH CLEAN WATER CHAMPION
HONOR
Dr. Jack Turner, director of the Watershed Ecology Center,
was recently recognized by Upstate Forever as a Clean Water
Champion during the Sixth Annual ForeverGreen Awards Luncheon
which celebrates individuals and organizations for significant
contributions in the fields of land conservation, water quality, air
quality, sustainable development, waste reduction, public service
and volunteer work.
Since the creation of the Watershed Ecology Center in 1999,
Turner has been educating children – and adults – about the
need to be good stewards of the environment and its resources.
The outreach efforts he and WEC staff continue to promote have
reached nearly 70,000 in Spartanburg County.
ONEY PRESENTS TWO ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS
DURING BIG BAND CONCERT
Commercial Music faculty member Dr. Tish Oney recently presented
her nationally touring big band show, “BEYOND THE SEA: Tish
Oney’s Big Band Excursion” during which she introduced two of
her original compositions.
The audience enjoyed a concert which also featured fellow
Commercial Music faculty members Shannon Hoover, Adam Knight
and Vern Weygandt and music for an 18-piece jazz orchestra
written by Grammy winning arranger Chris Walden, as well as
the world premiere of a new big band work by jazz legend Joe
Riposo with lyrics by Oney. Special guests were the Greenville
Jazz Collective Big Band, a professional jazz orchestra. Proceeds
from the concert supported jazz education in the Upstate.
BAREISS WINS TOP AWARD IN REGIONAL COMPETITION
Dr. Warren Bareiss, assistant professor of mass media in the
Department of Fine Arts and Communication Studies, will be
honored in April for a paper he submitted to the Gender Studies
Division for the Southern States Communication Association.
The paper, "Mothers, Daughters, and Ritual Abjection: Narrative
Analysis of Adolescent Self-Injury in Four US Films,” examines
the construction of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in motion picture
films, “Girl, Interrupted,” “Secret Cutting,” “Prozac Nation,” and
“Thirteen.” He said this was the first time that he had ever entered
a paper in this division, as most of his work focuses on Health
Communications.
In addition to this honor, he will participate in a panel discussion
at the Central States Communication Association April 15-19.
18 Into Athletics
Hall of Fame
The USC Upstate Athletic Department
welcomed five new inductees into its Athletics
Hall of Fame recently. The Class of 2015
consists of all-time greats Ricky Charles
from men’s soccer, Shay (Slater) Norris from
softball, Anna Novo from Women’s tennis,
Luke Payne from men’s basketball and
Angie (Gambrell) Russell from volleyball.
The Hall of Fame, established in 1998-99,
honors individuals for outstanding athletic
accomplishments and/or who have made
significant contributions to USC Upstate
Athletics. All former student-athletes,
coaches and athletic administrators and
staff are eligible for nomination.
RICKY CHARLES ’03
In a program chalked full of excellence,
Charles transcended the storied program
both in numbers and impact. After
transferring to Upstate as a Junior College
All-American at Bryant & Stratton, Charles
was phenomenal in his two seasons
as a Rifle at USC Upstate, then USC
Spartanburg, from 2002 to 2003. He led
the team to back-to-back appearances
in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals and
was a two-time All-American selection. He
finished his career ranked 10th all-time in
scoring at Upstate with all nine players
above him playing four seasons at the
19 19 University. In fact, Charles averaged 57.5
points per season and finished just 62
points shy of the all-time program record
of 177 held by fellow Hall of Fame member
Henrik Ronnevig.
SHAY (SLATER) NORRIS ’08
Shay (Slater) Norris is the fifth person
affiliated with the softball program to be
inducted into the Upstate Athletics Hall of
Fame and the first to have played a portion of
her career on the Division I level. A member
of the program from 2004-08, she spent the
first three seasons of her career leading
the Spartans to three-straight appearances
in the NCAA Division II Tournament before
helping lead the team to a share of the 2008
Atlantic Sun Conference Regular Season
Championship as a senior in Upstate’s first
year playing on the Division I level. She set
the all-time single-season records with 89
hits and 70 runs, both of which are records
that remain today. She currently ranks 10th
all-time in the history of the program with a
.370 batting average and leads the all-time
career lists in games played and started,
runs scored, stolen bases and at-bats.
ANNA NOVO ’09
Anna Novo, who played from 2005-09, is
the third person affiliated with the women’s
tennis program to be inducted into the
Upstate Athletics Hall of Fame and is the
first who played at least a portion of her
career on the Division I level. She burst
onto the scene as a freshman in 2005-06
and was named the Peach Belt Conference
Freshman of the Year and a First Team
All-Conference selection in singles after
leading the Spartans to a 7-2 conference
record and a third-place finish in the Peach
Belt Conference Tournament. When Upstate
transitioned to NCAA Division I membership
in 2007-08, she and the team flourished
just as it had on the Division II level. She
ranks first all-time with 161 career combined
wins, 90 career singles victories, 71 career
doubles wins, 52 combined wins in a season
(2007-08) and 47 singles wins in a season
(2008-09).
LUKE PAYNE ’08
Luke Payne is the 14th person affiliated
with the men’s basketball program to be
inducted into the Upstate Athletics Hall of
Fame. He is also the first to have played at
least a portion of his career on the Division
I level. A member of the program from
2004-08, he helped the Spartans reach
the national stage in NCAA Division II. He
was instrumental in helping lead the team
to the 2004-05 Peach Belt Conference
regular season championship, marking
the first league title for the program since
Magazine
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
Upstate Softball
Picked to Win A-Sun
Robinson and Shubert
Title Picked as League’s Best
After winning two straight A-Sun championships, making two
consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and returning
a veteran team, the USC Upstate softball team has been picked
to win the Atlantic Sun regular season championship.
In addition to the Spartans being picked to repeat as A-Sun regular
season champs, senior outfielder Shellie Robinson has been
voted as the Preseason Player of the Year, while sophomore Lexi
Shubert has been unanimously tabbed as the Preseason Pitcher
of the Year. The two are joined on the preseason all-conference
team by seniors Cheyenne Griffin and Kendall Settlemyre.
Upstate was a unanimous selection to win the A-Sun regular
season title and earned the maximum 64 points and eight first-place
votes in the preseason coaches poll. The Spartans are coming
off a 2014 campaign that saw it run away with the regular season
championship with a 22-2 record. That came one year after the
team claimed the 2013 A-Sun Tournament title.
“We have a lot of veterans on the team who have been through
battles and achieved a tremendous amount of success over the
last few years, including winning two conference championships
the last two seasons. So, it is not a surprise that the A-Sun
coaches have picked us to win the regular season championship
again,” said Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins. “Like I say every
year…we are proud of the success that we have achieved, but
this year's team has to put that aside and work hard to get better
every day of the season if we want to put ourselves in position to
achieve our goals. We have built a solid reputation and received
a lot of respect, but that is not going to win us games. The work
we put into it will.”
Upstate is coming off arguably its top season in the history of
the program in 2014. The Spartans finished the year with a 46-9
the 1991-92 season. He helped lead the
transition to Division I when he was the goto player on the 2007-08 squad during the
school’s first year playing on the Division I
level and in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Payne ranks 10th all-time with 1,381 points,
is in the Top 5 all-time in free throws made,
three-pointers made and attempted and
games started and in the Top 10 in assists,
field goals attempted and games played.
ANGIE GAMBRELL RUSSELL ’90
Angie Gambrell Russell is the 10th person
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
overall record and stormed through the A-Sun to the tune of a
22-2 record en route to its second regular season A-Sun title and
third overall (2013 A-Sun Tournament championship) in seven
years. Upstate also advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the
second consecutive season, this time as an at-large selection
while marking the first time that has occurred in the history of
A-Sun softball.
Hawkins, who is in his 21st year as head coach of the program and
who surpassed the 700-win plateau last year, returns a veteran
squad in 2015 with 10 seniors on the team. That unit helped the
2014 Spartans break the program's all-time record for wins in a
season on the Division I level, A-Sun wins, home runs and eight
other team records.
One senior that
Hawkins can rely on
is Robinson. She was
a 2014 NFCA Third
Team All-American
and the A-Sun Player
of the Year. She led
the conference in
runs, doubles, total
bases and slugging
percentage and was
second in batting
average, home
runs and on-base
percentage in 2014.
Hawkins will also rely on Shubert to carry the load in the circle as
the only returning pitcher from last year's pitching corps that was
ranked No. 1 in the nation in ERA late in the season and finished
the year among the country's elite staffs. She was the A-Sun
Freshman of the Year and a first team all-conference selection.
Griffin and Settlemyre were first team all-conference selections a
year ago in leading Upstate at the corner infield positions. Griffin
hit .337 with 32 RBIs and 27 runs last year while maintaining
tremendous discipline defensively with a .993 fielding percentage
at first base. Settlemyre ranked second on the team and fifth in
the A-Sun with a .373 batting average en route to earning her first
all-conference nod at third base.
affiliated with the volleyball program to be
inducted into the Upstate Athletics Hall
of Fame. She played both volleyball and
softball at then-USC Spartanburg from
1986-90. She is being inducted for her
efforts on the volleyball court where she
was a two-time All-District Six selection
and remains among the all-time greats in
the record books. Her teams topped the
30-win mark all four years she wore a Lady
Rifle uniform and she led the team to 134
victories in her career (134-47). She was
a part of three-straight NAIA District Six
championship teams from 1987-89 and
helped lead those teams into the NAIA
Nationals. She still owns the all-time single
game school record with 31 kills. She was
also a tremendous defensive player at the
net and still owns the program’s all-time
records with 516 total blocks and 266
solo blocks. She is second all-time with
250 assisted blocks and fourth all-time
with 1,639 points, fifth with 1,148 kills and
seventh with 1,095 digs.
20 20 Notes
1981
2002
Nancy Holland has been named
executive director of Mental Health
America of Spartanburg County.
Cathy J. Drummond is establishing a
new non-profit called the Love Never Fails
Center.
1983
Felicia Reid is the CEO of her new
business, All Seasons Counseling &
Mediation Services, LLC, in Orangeburg.
Jon McClure was honored during
the Entrepreneurs Forum Gala for
his accomplishments in business and
contributions to the prosperity of Upstate
South Carolina. He founded ISO Poly
Films, Inc., and is now constructing a
warehouse in Hunter Industrial Park in
Laurens, S.C.
2005
Cyntreena Palmer is currently working on
her first book.
Jessica Singleton now works as a
Mental Health Counselor at the Georgia
Department of Juvenile Justice.
2006
2009
Chip Johnson retired after 27-year career
in public education.
1987
Renee Meehan started I Teach, LLC,
a new business teaching and tutoring
students in mathematics and handwriting.
2008
Matthew Cash is a new member of the
USC Upstate Foundation Board.
2007
LaKisha Spears was named director of
development for Charlotte United Christian
Academy.
Liam Slack received the Dissertation
Award from the Association for Applied
Sport Psychology, an international
professional organization that promotes
the field of sport and exercise psychology.
The award recognizes the completion of
an outstanding dissertation by an AASP
doctoral student.
Dr. Aleksey Zelenko and associate Dr.
Andy R. Butcher recently opened the
Palmetto Dental Studio in Pelzer, S.C. This
new practice offers state-of-the-art general
and cosmetic dentistry services.
Alumni News
CLASS
2010
Stephen McMillan is in his first year
of working and coaching at Saluda High
School.
SHOW YOUR SPARTAN PRIDE IN TOWN AND ON THE
HIGHWAY WITH A DISTINCTIVE USC UPSTATE LICENSE PLATE!
For only $70 you could sport this official tag on your vehicle
AND have $40 of that amount sent to the USC Upstate
General Scholarship Fund as a tax-deductible contribution!
The time is now - commit to purchasing this new license plate
and help support the University! REGISTER BY MARCH 1.
Contact the Alumni Office at 864-503-5240 or
[email protected] for more information.
You can also visit www.uscupstate.edu/licenseplate.
21 2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
CLASS
Notes
2011
Chris Crowley is a new member of the
USC Upstate Foundation Board.
2013
Kimberly Young has written “Live a
Wonderful Life: Free of Financial Stress,”
an e-book now available on Kindle/Amazon.
The book provides a financial guide for those
who may struggle with day-to-day and longterm choices.
Yuliya Kapralov now works for
SantoLubes.
Alumni News
Anita Brinager is a registered nurse at
Spartanburg Regional Hospital.
Benjamin Augenstein is a volunteer
assistant baseball/pitching coach at Cal
Ripken League and Indian River Elite
Baseball in Vero Beach, Florida.
Marriages
2014
In Memory
Matthew Johnson now works as
videographer for University Communications
at USC Upstate.
Shaunta Manigault ’05 married Zachary
Jones on May 25, 2014.
Evelyn B. Caldwell ’71 passed away on
December 5, 2014.
Mikey Eaves now works for SantoLubes.
Wayne Truesdale ’89 passed away on
December 14, 2014.
Engagements
Jeffery Doyle Black ’98 passed away on
November 12, 2014.
Jessica Flack ’12 and Matthew Skinner
’10 are engaged to be married on April 11.
Shanna Alexander ’04 and Steve Corn are
engaged to be married on May 30.
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Mark Your Calendar!
FRIDAY, MAY 1
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Bike Race Tailgate
Main Street Spartanburg
6th Annual Alumni Golf Tournament
Woodfin Ridge Golf Course
For more information about these or other events, contact:
CHARLIANNE NESTLEN, ‘03
Director of Alumni Relations
(864) 503-5240 • [email protected]
Alumni Relations Office is now located in Library 202 to better serve alumni from a
central point on main campus. Stop by and see us!
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
22 Then as Now
USC UPSTATE GIVES STUDENTS
A CHOICE AND A CHANCE
From humble beginnings in 1967 in Spartanburg General
Hospital with just 177 students, USC Upstate has grown to
become the only four-year public university on the I-85 corridor
and is a campus now serving more than 5,500 students.
Driven to always be responsive to the economic needs of
Spartanburg, Greenville and the Upstate, the University
continues to respond to changes in the community with high
quality, affordable education attracting students from the area
and around the world – the majority of whom stay in the Upstate
upon graduation.
23 With your support, we can ensure that these students will be able
to meet the challenges and help shape the ever-changing future of
the Upstate. For more information on how you can further these
efforts, go to www.uscupstate.edu/advancement or contact:
Bea Walters Smith
Director of Development and Foundation Scholarships
864-503-5235 or [email protected]
Roger Sullivan
Vice Chancellor for University Advancement
864-503-7417 or [email protected]
2015 Winter Upstate Magazine
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE
800 University Way
Spartanburg, SC 29303
PAID
SPARTANBURG, SC
PERMIT N0. 104
Address Service Requested
This Summer, think Upstate. Visit www.uscupstate.edu/admissions.
Homecoming 2015 saw many alumni
return to campus for fun and fellowship.
A reading and reception was held
for Mary Ann Claud in honor of her
first book, “The Dancin’ Man.”
Upstate business leaders joined JCBE
students and faculty for breakfast
recently to share their expertise.
Brian Nash and Carter Smith from the
Spartanburg Economic Futures Group
were two of the speakers for the Wells
Fargo Speaker Series in February.
Alice Rodriquez, left, and Dr. Angie
Davis, interim assistant director of the
Mary Black School of Nursing, share
a moment during Heart Week.
Dr. Tish Oney, assistant professor of
music, performs during her nationally
touring big band show, “BEYOND THE
SEA: Tish Oney’s Big Band Excursion.”
U.S. Army Veteran and Purple Heart recipient
Roger D. McCullough, right, was recognized
and honored for service to his country during
a recent Spartans basketball game.
JCBE business faculty and students
underwent training to participate with
the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) program.