My Experience as a “Student Upstander” at the Lemkin Summit to End Genocide and Mass Atrocities 2018

By Ricardo Pierre '18

With Honor Society high schoolers from Asbury Park, NJ

Genocide is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as, the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation. The neologism was first coined by Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polish and Jewish decent. Lemkin devised genocide from genos a Greek word for tribe or race and -cide a Latin word that means killing.

On Saturday, February 10 through Monday, February 12, 2018, I attended the Lemkin Summit to End Genocide and Mass Atrocities, a conference named in Raphael Lemkin’s honor. The conference took place at American University and featured a panel of experts who spoke on topics ranging from tools the U.S. government can use to prevent and respond to genocide and mass atrocities, to financial tools to counter the nexus of conflict and corruption, and the current dynamics in various conflicts areas. The Lemkin Summit allowed me the opportunity to venture into a topic about which I was previously not privy.

While at the conference, a Congolese woman named Neema Namadamu spoke about how the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo have experienced the phenomenon of the resource curse known as the paradox of plenty. The paradox of plenty refers to resource-rich countries that fail to reap the full benefits of their natural resource wealth. Countries that have an abundance of natural resources tend to engage in conflict at a higher rate and are largely authoritarianist nations. Issues like this and many more where discussed at the conference. I also heard chilling stories from citizens of Darfur, Sudan recalling the sounds of gunshots as they were falling asleep and when they would rise in morning, stories that were all too familiar to citizens of fellow conflict nations.

With Enough Project founder, John Prendergast

During my time at the conference, I also had a one-on-one conversation with John Prendergast, the founder of the Enough Project, which is an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity. The Enough Project was the program that provided me the opportunity to attend the Summit as a Student Upstander. John told me about the indefinable horrors he’s seen with his own eyes and relayed to me the massive role the United States can play in helping countries like Congo.

My final day in Washington, D.C. was spent lobbying to Senators and Congressmen from my home state of New Jersey. As a group leader, I was accompanied by a group of Honor Society high schoolers from Asbury Park, NJ, and we worked to get cosponsors on two policies. The U.S. is regarded as the most influential nation in the world. By taking a tougher stance against countries that engage in mass atrocities, America can help put an end to corruption and human rights violations. My weekend at the Lemkin Summit gave me an immense knowledge on the past and continuing political climate that African nations are in and I look forward to engaging in philanthropic efforts in the future.

My group at NJ Representative Chris Smith's Office in Washington, D.C.

"Breakfast Buddies" Mentoring Program Encourages Academic Excellence and Good Citizenship for Fifth Grade Boys

By Tom Steele, Director of Academic Initiatives for Athletics

Ferrum College students (back row, left to right) Justyn Forbes, Lawrence Baranski, and Ricardo Pierre, are "Breakfast Buddies" for this group of fifth grade boys at Lee M. Waid Elementary School.

It’s Thursday morning, 7:00 AM. Most Ferrum College students are just stirring or still asleep. However, members of Ferrum’s Brother4Brother mentoring program are on their way to Lee M. Waid Elementary School in Rocky Mount to be “Breakfast Buddies” with a group of 5th grade boys.

Now in its third year, the Breakfast Buddies program is designed to provide a positive, male role model for the fifth graders and encourage them to excel in academics and as school citizens. “The Breakfast Buddies program has been an integral component in developing social skills for our fifth grade students,” said Sheree Thomas, the school counselor at Lee M. Waid who hosts Breakfast Buddies. “The positive interaction brought to the table by Ferrum's highly motivated and well-mannered men of standards leaves a positive impression on our youth,” continued Thomas.

During each Breakfast Buddies program, the College students share breakfast with the fifth graders, talk about the topics of the day, and spend positive time together. Sometimes, the Brother4Brother mentors help the young men who get into trouble at school get back on track. According to Ferrum senior Ricardo Pierre, the outreach is important because, “I am able to offer them a judgement-free ear and share with the guys things I wish I knew at their age.”

Breakfast Buddies is focused on men learning to share with each other and holding each other accountable. “Breakfast Buddies is a great chance to uplift young men and to be someone they can talk to,” said junior Lawrence Baranski.

In addition, encouragement is always a focus at the breakfast meetings. Junior Justyn Forbes said, “I think that it is good to give these kids some encouragement from college students to do well in school.”

As a bonus, some of the fifth graders in the Breakfast Buddies program are now serving as mentors for kindergarteners at Lee M. Waid. This is a point of pride for Baranski. “We are showing them that even they can become a mentor to younger men,” he said.

Not self, but others. This is the Ferrum College way.

Diversity Served: Ferrum College Students’ Sociology Projects Transition from the Classroom to Community.

By Laurie Adams

Ferrum College will celebrate Commencement Saturday, May 6th, but just as the celebration marks an end and a beginning for graduating seniors, for some students, class projects begun here at Ferrum will also be moving into their own next phases.

Abria Witcher

Students in Dr. Susan Mead’s Sociology 391 Directed Study Course undertook a number of social justice projects in the fall of 2016 and many of those projects will be ongoing, either through the students’ own efforts, or by incorporation into larger non-profit efforts. Here’s a look back – and a look forward at where they started and where they’re going.

Abria Witcher’s project was in trouble. Not just in trouble – her goal of helping with Gretna Elementary School’s backpack program and raising money to assist an orphan in South Sudan was falling apart before her eyes – but that’s when things took a dramatic turn for the better. Witcher had been moved when she learned many students at the school were struggling to get their nutritional needs met. “Their only meal was lunch,” she said. A conflict of timing derailed her original plan, but Witcher pressed forward. Inspired by the 22-year-old Criminal Justice major’s efforts, all the teachers and administrative staff at the school where she interned contributed cash - stepping up to not only meet but surpass her goal by raising $250. This boost allowed Witcher to assist more than one orphan in South Sudan. “My [five] students will be able to attend primary school for a year,” said Witcher.

Witcher plans to continue coordinating with Gretna Elementary School after she graduates to help not only with their backpack program, but by helping students attend summer school. She attended Gretna Elementary and explained, “I was pretty much one of those kids in elementary school so it really spoke to me, wanting to help the students [at Gretna] as well as the orphans attend primary school in South Sudan.”

Witcher and eight classmates, under the guidance of Mead, took on independent projects to help them learn about and get hands-on experience in tackling real-world social issues. The students’ efforts focused primarily on a group of South Sudanese orphans, helping to pay their educational costs and feed them, particularly during times of the year when they aren’t able to get their meals at school. The children who have been helped by Witcher and her classmates range in age from kindergarten through high school graduates. So far the combined efforts of Mead’s students have raised over $1500.

The projects of the other students in Mead’s class varied along with each student’s specialty and the emotional chords that were struck by the plight of the people in South Sudan. Senior Caitlin Johnson, of Rocky Mount, is graduating with her Environmental Studies degree. She plans to continue working with a Ferrum alumnus who is now a middle school agriculture teacher to develop a lesson plan on farming and food deserts, both locally around Virginia and internationally, focusing on South Sudan. Having grown up on a farm, Johnson’s direction for her project was a logical extension of her interest in natural resources and agriculture.

Alexander Soltani

Alexander Soltani’s project was among the most ambitious in the class: he hoped to raise enough money to buy a Toyota Land Cruiser for Bishop Peter Youl of the Tonj Area Diocese of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan. Soltani explained that the vehicle is critically necessary to help the bishop reach far-flung parishioners in South Sudan’s rough terrain. Bishop Yuol coordinates efforts to help the orphans Soltani’s classmates raised funds to assist. A Land Cruiser was acquired for Bishop Yuol and a crowdfunding page generated by Soltani will assist in making future payments on the vehicle.

Soltani, who lives in Mississippi, said he probably would not have attempted this type of service work had he not taken the course. “Before I took this course, I had no intention to work on humanitarian efforts but Dr. Mead helped show me that you can focus on yourself, as well as others. I would like to take up a cause having to do with battered women/abused children in the future, since I hope to become a civil suit lawyer one day. One lesson I learned is sometimes the only way you can help yourself, is to help others, which falls in line with Ferrum's mission ‘Not Self, But Others,’” said Soltani.

Jonathan Dickey

Other projects focused on peace building and community development, including assisting South Sudanese widows. Senior Jonathan Dickey, of Leesburg, Va., says that raising funds to help South Sudanese widows was especially meaningful for him, having grown up with a single mom. He said, “At a young age I saw the struggles that came with that.” Dickey explained he’s focused on the educational component of outreach, noting, “The best outcome would be improved literacy and resources for the widowed mothers of South Sudan.” Like Soltani, Dickey said he came to the directed study course in a roundabout way, initially pursuing it in lieu of finding an internship, but found himself moved to press on with the course’s goals even after an internship was acquired.

Ryan Tesler, a 21-year-old Criminal Justice major from Atlanta, Ga., is raising funds to feed South Sudanese orphans. “I wish more people knew about the good people that reside in South Sudan. The conflicts, violence, and struggles seem to be all you see or hear about when South Sudan is brought up. Bishop Peter and his family is an example of one of the positive sides of South Sudan. He is the one who has brought in all these orphans to help feed and educate. Bishop Peter gave up a great paying job [for] a no salary lifestyle to help these orphans,” said Tesler, whose fundraising effort was among the most successful projects in the class.

After graduation, many of the student projects will be ongoing and the people who benefit will continue to receive assistance through Professor Mead’s non-profit, Diversity Serves. To learn more about Diversity Serves, visit its Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/Diversity-Serves-1853133511621208/ or to support ongoing student fundraising efforts visit www.gofundme.com and search for projects under “Diversity Serves.”

Alternative Spring Break 2017: Hurricane Disaster Recovery Mission Trip to Virginia Beach

By Dr. Jan Nicholson Angle, Dean of the Chapel

Five students and two staff from Ferrum College gave up their Spring Break to travel to Virginia Beach where they assisted two families who are recovering from the effects of Hurricane Matthew. Hurricane Matthew struck the Virginia coast in October 2016. Ferrum College continues to be the only Virginia based United Methodist affiliated college team to volunteer with The Virginia Conference United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Disaster Recovery working to assist families along the Virginia coast who are recovering from both the September 2016 tornado and October 2016 hurricane.

Our Ferrum College team of seven persons arrived in Virginia Beach Friday at 11 pm. We were up Saturday morning and on our first work site by 8 am. We arrived to find a couple living in a trailer located in the driveway of their home. Previous teams had worked with them to remove and treat the water-damaged walls of their home. This family, paralyzed by the trauma of the hurricane, had moved only a portion of their belongings out of the house leaving many personal items and furniture still inside. Our job for the next two days was to support and assist this couple in moving the salvageable belongings to storage. More importantly our team truly set aside self and embraced other as we listened to this beautiful couple reminisce their favorite family memories, and shed silent tears as they came to terms in parting with family heirlooms that were too water damaged to be saved. With most of their belongings in storage, and the assurance of other work teams to follow, our team laid hands on the homeowner and the furnishings now moved to storage asking for God’s blessings and safe keeping over his family, his home, and his belongings.

The second family our work team assisted was an older couple who, as Hurricane Matthew bore down upon them, had helplessly watched the waters rise covering the entire first floor of their town home. When we arrived we quickly realized that this couple was at a different stage of recovery as they had already moved all their water damaged belongings out of the house, had the walls repaired, and were waiting on our team to install wood laminate flooring in both their living and dining rooms.

While the work we did and the skills we attained individually and as team were amazing, NOTHING could take the place of watching Ms. Eleanor at 70+ years of age do her happy dance on her new living room floor. As our final day of work closed, it was not only Ms Eleanor who was shedding tears as we stood hand in hand with her in her dining room. We praised God for bringing her safely through the storm and offering her hope for tomorrow. Ms. Eleanor said over and over again how she would have never been able to recover without us. Of course we all knew better, but are thankful that for this Spring Break we have had the opportunity to represent Ferrum College and re-present the love of God to those who now hold a very special place in our hearts.

Team Members

Students: Stephanie Gibbs, a senior majoring in Health Sciences; Alexis Hatcher, a junior majoring in Religion; Mark Kellam a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science; Lukas McWhorter, a junior majoring in Environmental Science; and Ricky Phillips a sophomore majoring in Computer Science.

Staff: Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Engagement Daniel Kyle and Dean of the Chapel Jan Nicholson Angle.


View additional photographs from the trip here.

Life of Service

By Daniel Kyle

Today the team woke up eager to see who our next hurricane survivors were. After eating the delicious breakfast Jan cooked, we stopped by our rooms, grabbed our stuff and headed to the van. It was a long yet productive day as we met a new family who were survivors of Hurricane Matthews aftermath. They were such a beautiful couple. We were welcomed into their home and treated with a warm feeling of hospitality. There seemed to be a sense of purpose residing in each of us. As we worked throughout the day interacting with the family, we couldn’t help but notice the cheerful and joyful feelings the family expressed as we placed brand new floors in their house.

Mark 10:45 says, “for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Dwelling on this verse of scripture teaches us about living a life of service. Are we living a life of service? What does a life of service look like? It’s a refreshing feeling knowing that Jesus came to serve and not be served. This trip has taught our team about living a life of service in a variety of ways. Giving these families our time and assistance is a great way to live a life of service but most importantly, showing the love of Christ is the ultimate way we can serve them.

A life of service starts in our hearts that develop into actions leading to valuable relationships. Relationships lead to new conversations and new relationships but most importantly a life of peace (Philippians 4:7). When you are in the righteous will of God, you’re led to people who value your time and presence. People will value the love you show them through times of crisis and heartache. Your peace will come from helping others knowing that you’re pleasing God as well.

“Stop Hunger Now” Event Embodies Ferrum College Motto “Not Self, But Others”

More than 400 Franklin County and College community members combine efforts to package and ship over 50,000 meals to countries in need.

Ferrum, Va. (Feb. 21, 2012) – This past weekend more than 400 people came together on the Ferrum College campus and packaged 52,000 meals during the third annual Stop Hunger Now event, which brought true meaning to the College motto “Not Self, But Others.” With the $13,000 cost of ingredients covered by donations, these highly nutritious meals were packaged in just three hours and will be shipped to feed the world’s most impoverished.

Co-sponsored by the Ferrum College Rotaract Club, the Rocky Mount Rotary Club, and Mu Sigma Chi, the Stop Hunger Now event included fundraisers, donors and volunteers from Ferrum College Greek societies and service organizations, as well as Boy and Girl Scouts, churches, civic groups, families and individuals from around Franklin County.

“So many individuals and organizations helped support this Stop Hunger Now event and many College faculty, staff, students and parishioners were part of the effort,” said Ferrum College President Dr. Jennifer Braaten. “We are proud of the amount of time and energy that so many from our community devote to help so many other people both locally and around the world.”

Stop Hunger Now event organizer and former Ferrum College board member, Walter Hughes, agreed. “The wonderful partnership is so appreciated between the College, Rotary, churches, clubs, and fraternities and sororities,” he said.

Through Stop Hunger Now’s packaging program, volunteers package life-saving meals combining rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables, flavoring and a mixture of 21 vitamins and minerals into reasonable servings of six. The meals are easy to transport, have a long shelf life and cost only $0.25 per meal to create. All costs are covered by donations. Since the program’s inception, more than 155,000 volunteers have packaged more than 58 million meals.

Holiday Greetings from Dr. Jennifer L. Braaten

Dear Faculty, Staff & Students,

As the semester winds down, I want to thank all of you for being such good citizens of Ferrum College and for helping to create an environment in which we can teach, learn, study and enjoy extra-curricular activities in an atmosphere of civility and respect. As we celebrate the joys of this precious holiday, some of us may also burden ourselves with trying to choose the perfect gifts or bake the most delicious cookies. Because we don’t want to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas with unrealistic expectations, it becomes even more important for all of us to remember the simple message at the heart of the season: 

“Peace on earth and joy to all.”

We can make that message resonate throughout the campus and beyond through our kindness and consideration for one another and in so doing personify our enduring motto “Not Self, But Others.” And remember, it truly is the thought, not the actual gift that counts - even a lumpy gingerbread man tastes as delicious as a perfect one! Enjoy this time and have a blessed and holy Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Sincerely yours,

Jennifer L. Braaten

President