From Ireland to Ferrum - An International Student Experience

by Caoimhe R., Panther Blogger

Hi, or should I say hello or as we say in Ireland, "well, what's the craic?"  This is a saying which I'm accustomed to saying at home when I see my friends, but also one which has won me several odd looks from people who don't understand what it means since I've arrived in the states.  If you ask someone "what the craic is?" at home, you are normally just asking them what they've been doing recently or what's up.  If you say "that was unreal craic" after a night out, then normally, you're just saying it was a great time.  I just thought that it was important to clear that up; if you ever go to Ireland, that will definitely be a useful piece of information to know!

My name is Caoimhe, I'm 22 years old and am an international student at Ferrum College.  My name can also sometimes be a source of confusion, but it's a Gaelic name derived from the Irish language and is pronounced like "Keeva".  It's also number one on "the most mispronounced Irish names in America".  Since I've arrived here, I've been called "Kayomi," "Teeva," and numerous other things!  I know that as a word, the letters and sounds don't always add up, and sure it's all a bit of fun at the end of the day.

Me with some new friends at Ferrum

You're probably wondering how I ended up coming to Ferrum College all the way from Ireland.  Basically, my whole story started over a year ago when I applied for a scholarship offered by the British Council called Study USA, also known as the Study, Work, Create program.  I was one of eight people from my college, St. Mary's University College in Belfast, to apply for this opportunity, but never in a million years would I have envisioned being accepted into the program let alone becoming a student at Ferrum College!  Fortunately, five others from my college and I were placed in the program.  Bearing in mind that there were approximately 400 students who applied around 65 places, I felt as though I accomplished a major goal in being selected from a competitive group of students.  This scholarship meant a great deal of importance to me, and it had been my motivation since the start of my college education to study in the states.

Ferrum Cross Country

My journey to Ferrum College started on the 28th of August 2014.  I remember waking up at three in the morning and getting ready for the day of travel ahead.  I made my way to Dublin airport and said that final goodbye to my family.  It's strange how the reality of a situation, despite how much you prepare for it mentally, never hits you until you are present in the moment.  I remember looking back at my family standing at the airport doors just before I got on the elevator to go through security.  Although a part of me felt incredibly sad to say goodbye, I knew that what was ahead of me would be an experience of a lifetime.  I arrived at Ferrum College on the Thursday before classes started and that is the beginning of my whole story.  I must admit, I had one of those "what am I doing here?" moments when I initially arrived, but I reminded myself that what I felt was completely normal - after all, I was over three thousand miles from home!

Ferrum Women's Cross Country

Homecoming Parade at Ferrum

Since then, I have tried my best to embrace the experience!  I joined the cross country team in my first semester, as well as other clubs and societies on campus which provided me with a great opportunity to meet new people.  Although I've only lived here for about six months, I believe this experience has totally changed my outlook on life!

The Beginning of a Great Season for Softball!

by Amanda R., Panther Blogger

Ferrum didn't have typical "Spring Break" weather this year.  Before leaving for the week, Ferrum students saw multiple days of snow!  With this being said, spring sports had a difficult time getting outside for practices and games.


During our break, the Ferrum softball team traveled to Florida to play in a non-conference tournament.  Softball in 78-degree weather?  I'll take it!  We played six games over the course of four days.  We returned with five wins and one loss.  One of these wins happened to be over the #6 ranked team in the nation for Division III sports!  It was a major win for us and a great confidence-booster!

We returned back to Ferrum to host four conference games, and we finished these with three wins and one loss.  So overall for our season, we have eight wins and two losses!  This is just the beginning to a great season!!

- Amanda

A Busy Semester In Full Swing!

by Amanda R, Panther Blogger

This semester is going by so quickly!  Taking fifteen credits plus an E-term course this summer is keeping me busy!  My classes this semester include Human Anatomy & Physiology II, PE Experience for Adolescents, Motor Learning, Foundations of Profession Teaching, and Profession Teaching for Content Reading Literacy.  So far, I'm enjoying my classes, but the best part is my 40-hour internship at Franklin County High School!  I am currently working with a 10th grade girl's Physical Education class, and I love it!  I have assignments through my education classes where I am actually teaching the students and working on different skills with them.  It really is a great experience before I actually become a teacher!

Softball is getting into full swing!  With our first game on February 24th at Lynchburg, we have been practicing almost every day.  This season, we will be traveling to Florida for Spring Break and Alabama soon after!  Can't wait to get the season started!

- Amanda

An Introduction to New Blogger, Amanda!

by Amanda R., Panther Blogger

Hi, everyone!  My name is Amanda and I am a new member to the Panther Blog Team!  I am really excited about this new experience.  I was raised on a farm in a small town called Lawrenceville, Virginia (about an hour south of Richmond).  I graduated from Park View High School in May 2013.  At the same time as my high school graduation, I also graduated from our community college with my Associate's Degree.  While at Ferrum, I am majoring in Health and Human Performance for Physical Education with a minor in Coaching.  Because I am so involved and interested in my major, I became the secretary of our Physical Activities Club on campus.  I also play on the softball team as a pitcher and third baseman, and I plan on playing all four years I am here.

When looking into colleges, I had no idea where I wanted to attend.  Mainly, I was looking at smaller schools for softball.  After narrowing down my choices and visiting them, I knew Ferrum was my future home.  I grew up in a small, country area and Ferrum just felt like a second home to me.  The campus itself is truly beautiful in every season. Whether it's the leaves changing on the trees or the snow covering the mountains, it is always an amazing sight.

If you talk with someone from Ferrum and they tell you there is "nothing to do," it is because they are not going out and involving themselves!  There is so much to do and be involved with on campus.  With so many athletic teams and intramural sports, you can keep yourself busy!  Sports don't interest you?  Join the theater program or one of our other activity groups!  Being bored on campus is a choice you make.  When someone asks me if I made the right choice by coming to Ferrum, I always tell them I couldn't have picked a better school for me!

My Favorite Tennis Match

by Sam B., Panther Blogger

My favorite tennis match was against Covenant, a school in northern Georgia.  We, the Ferrum Men's Tennis Team, had stayed the night in a hotel about 10 minutes away from Covenant the night before and our match was scheduled on a Sunday at 12:00 PM.  We arrived at the courts at 10:30 AM to begin warming up on the warm but overcast day.  The other team arrived and we got into the "game time mentality."  I play sixth seed, so I'm the last person to start my match.  I walked around cheering on teammates, waiting for my chance to play.  Everyone was playing really hard, and for the most part, really well.

When I started my match, I had no idea of the overall match score when I finally did get to start my match. The kid that I played and I were fairly evenly matched, so we battled in the first set, and I was able to pull it out 7 games to his 5.  After the first game of the second set, everyone who attended the match as well as both teams crowded around my match as we were the last match playing.  At that moment, I realized my match must mean something because some people will watch me play, but I never attract literally everyone at that the match!

There are 9 matches that factor into deciding which school actually wins the overall match. Six players' singles matches and three doubles matches are what determines who wins. At this point in the day, the match score was 4-4 and whoever won my match would determine the overall outcome. This was all running through my head as I watched everyone crowd around, and I tried to take some deep breaths to hold my composure.  I lost the second game of the second set, and I was quickly down 0-2.  Whether I was winning or not, there were cheers of adulation or comforting words from the Ferrum fans and men's and women's teams after each point. 

I managed to string some points and then games together; I won the next 5 games to go up to 5-2.  All was looking well for Ferrum until I dropped the next game. The score was now 5-3.  It was my serve and I decided to play aggressively since I had the lead.  After 3 serves, I had the lead 40-0, and I had 3 match points to clinch the win for Ferrum.  Of course, I double-faulted away the first match point and the score was 40-15.  I served, returned his shot and charged the net.  My return forced him to hit a weak shot and I was able to put a volley away for the win!  I will never forget that moment!

A couple of the guys ran on the court and hugged and high-fived me. Everyone's effort that day gave us the 5-4 win over Covenant and our only win of the season thus far.  For the rest of the evening and the ride back to Ferrum, the guys would just not let it go.  They kept telling me that I was "clutch" or that I had ice in my veins and other ridiculous things like that.  I also pointed out that if other guys hadn't won, my match wouldn't have mattered.  On the bus ride home, I put on my headphones, turned up Casting Crowns, and I thanked god for that incredible experience. He put me in that situation and He carried me through because I certainly couldn't have done it without Him.  That was, at this point in my young life, one of my proudest moments.  Once again, the glory of all my successes goes to God because it was His strength that carried me through. 

Huge Success for Lady Panthers Basketball!

by Laken P., Panther Blogger

One of the best experiences I have had at Ferrum was this past weekend cheering on the women's basketball team during the USA South Conference tournament. This year, the #1 seed happened to be the reigning champions, our very own Ferrum Panthers!  Games started Thursday afternoon and finished with the Conference Championship on Saturday afternoon, in which Ferrum took down Maryville.  The gym was filled with students, parents, faculty, and fans of each of the teams competing in the tournament with hopes that they would be the new champion.  At the end of the tournament:  a Conference title, championship rings, and a berth to the NCAA tournament.  The Panthers dominated the 2013-2014 seasons winning both the regular season and tournament championships and placing several girls on the All-Conference basketball team.

 

Standing on the sideline and cheering on the girls had no paralleled match in my cheerleading career here at Ferrum. The look on the faces of the girls, coaches, and fans with 2:00 minutes on the clock -  the moment of realization that victory was ours - was a priceless moment.  I will never forget leading the crowd into championship cheers and supporting the girls in their crowning moments. After the game was finished and the pictures had been taken, seeing the girls cut down the net was also an experience I will never forget.

Not only was last weekend a celebration for all Panther fans, but it was also the beginning of something bigger.  Ferrum not only won the USA South women's basketball championship, but they also won the bid to host the first two rounds of the NCAA regional tournament games.  Capital University, Christopher Newport University, and Eastern Mennonite University traveled to Ferrum for the games.  After hosting the regional tournament games, the women received Ferrum's first-ever NCAA tournament win!!

Unfortunately, we lost to CNU in the second round game, but the women can hold their heads high knowing that they have such a successful season behind them. For the seniors, they will be greatly missed and never forgotten as Ferrum completed a 3-pete of Conference Champions.  They made it to the NCAA tournament the last 3 years, won their first game this year, and had several players reach the 1,000 point mark this season.

Women's basketball tends to be one of the most popular sports at Ferrum, and one trip to a game can easily show why.  I have truly been honored and enjoyed cheering on the sideline for these girls and cannot wait to see what they accomplish in the upcoming seasons. Being a cheerleader gives the ultimate vantage point at games. We are right next to the action, we get to watch the fans interact, and we get to see the moments of pure joy and excitement as the women's basketball team continues to dominate the court. It is an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.  Go Panthers!

End of a Soccer Season

by Maryann C., Panther Blogger 

The women’s soccer season here at Ferrum College came to a close last week. I had such a great experience that I want to share it. So many wonderful things happened during the season; goals were scored, friendships were made and fun was had. Overall, it was one of the greatest soccer seasons with one of the greatest teams I have ever been a part of.

I did not play soccer for two of my four years here at Ferrum. Coming back to play has been a major blessing to me and I really enjoyed it. I feel like I had a great season as an individual player. Having an assist at our senior game and scoring two goals against Mary Baldwin College are my biggest season accomplishments. I missed playing the game, and I appreciate the team for welcoming me back for one last go at the game.

Working with this group of girls has been an experience that I won’t ever forget. I have grown closer with many of the girls I already knew and I met new players who I plan to stay close to. Working with Coach Narrow was fabulous. She is easy to work with and has an obvious love for the game. The girls on the team are a bunch of goofballs! Long bus rides were never dull, and trips to public places were always interesting. I love each of these girls so much, and I will miss them once I graduate!

 As a team, we had so much fun. Team trips to Applebee’s and Wal-mart, movie nights, and team bonding activities were just some of the ways we spent our time together. For our senior game, the younger classmen had even more fun decorating the seniors’ cars and the locker room. Practices were a lot of hard work but once in a while, we would get some fun in during practices by scrimmaging, playing games and kicking balls at each other before practice.

We accomplished so much this season! At the beginning of the season, we set team goals and reached most of them by the end of the season. We finished in 5th place at the end of the season when we had been expected to finish 9th. We accomplished what no one else thought we could, and for that, I am proud of this hard-working group of girls. I anticipate many more great things to come from the returners, and I wish the seniors the best of luck in their future. This was an experience I won’t forget!

My First College Homecoming

by Laken P., Panther Blogger

Cheering on the sidelines for my first college Homecoming game is a feeling I will never forget. Between the pre-game tailgates, the spirit of the fans, and the joy of defeat, I was easily reminded of how much I love Ferrum. I enjoy being able to be on the field to cheer on our boys, keep the fans involved in the game, and “wow” the crowd with our pyramids and tumbling. The experience of a college football game is not one that can merely be described; it must be experienced.

Any given weekend this time of year is an opportune time to enjoy the full atmosphere of college football, but no game is as magical as Homecoming. Saturday afternoons are all about Ferrum pride, and on Homecoming weekend, the heart of the Black and Gold radiated across campus. Perhaps it is the anxiousness of the crowning of Homecoming Court and the collection of alumni sprinkled throughout the stands; maybe it’s the beauty of the mountains and autumn colors that surround the football field. Regardless of the factors that make it so special, Homecoming never fails to be the biggest game of the season. 

Not only will it forever hold a special place in my heart because it was my first college Homecoming, but it was also the biggest victory of the season! The Ferrum Panthers defeated the North Carolina Wesleyan Bishops with a final score of 51-35. In a game that began with a rough start, the Panthers were able to press on and reach a victory in a huge conference match-up. Winning the game has helped propel the Black Hats to be ranked as one of the top teams in the USA South Conference.

Because the Panthers were so successful in their pursuit of a win, the bookstore backed up the team with their tradition of “Pigskin Payoff.” Every Monday after a game, the bookstore will give students 5% off Panther merchandise for every touchdown that is scored up to 25%! Because the football players were so dominant on the field Saturday, we all received 25% off of some already great deals!

The big win at Homecoming got both the players and fans seeking more. The Ferrum Black Hats football team has three more conference games to close out the regular season. If you get the chance to schedule a visit, come support Ferrum as we move our way toward a conference championship. Let’s Go Panthers, Panthers Let’s Go!

Our 1st Soccer Game

by Maryann C., Panther Blogger

The first game for the Ferrum College women's soccer team was against Randolph College on Friday, August 31. Being that it was the first game of the season, there were a lot of nerves between myself and the other girls on the team. We had worked hard during an intense two weeks of pre-season practice, and though I can't speak for the rest of the team, I know I was ready to play.

The girls who played worked hard throughout the game. Some of the girls even had to play the entire 90 minutes and they played very well. In spite of all the girls' hard work, the end result was not what we had hoped for. We lost 3-2 during overtime, but no one on the team seemed upset or mad about the end result. We took the game as a learning experience. It was our first game, after all, and it gave us a chance to see where we are as a team and what we need to work on. I am looking forward to a great season and I am sure the rest of the team is as well. Things are already starting to look up from the first game because we played again on Sunday, September 2 against Hollins and won 4-3!

Swimmers, Take Your Mark...

BY ANNELEISSE, PANTHER BLOGGER

Swimming has been in my life since I can remember. I have been on 5 different teams throughout my lifetime and never did I think we, as a first-year team, were going to be able to accomplish what we accomplished. Thanks to swimming here at Ferrum, I have already had enough great experiences to carry a bucket full of memories.

Our team consisted of five other girls besides me: Katie, who was our only senior on our team and took part of Kappa Alpha Sigma; Kara, a junior who was able to divide her time between swimming, soccer and school; Morgan, a sophomore who also plays softball for Ferrum and is part of Theta Gamma Omega; Lauren, a.k.a “Little Lauren,” is part of Kappa Alpha and is a first-year club swimmer who improved so much throughout the season; and Erin, who may be the sweetest, nicest girl I have ever met. These girls made my experience on the team so much more worth it, and once again, I’d like to take the opportunity to say “GREAT JOB LADIES!”

 Me with two of my teammates

We were able to accomplish much more than just beating our opponents but also improving our times and making new friends. This season consisted of nine meets: three away and the rest home, as well as a training trip. For our training trip, we were down in Florida for a week where we got to practice with bigger, stronger teams. This might be my favorite memory because we did get to go as a team and leave Virginia. Besides that, it was a great way to bond and get to meet my teammates better. All this wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing coach, Lindsay DeLaRosby, who has been both our coach and our friend.

International Hall of Fame Pool in Florida

Practicing 6 days a week and having morning practices can get crazy with trying to manage school work and getting other activities done. Being a student athlete here at Ferrum was not as bad as I thought it would be; no one said it was going to be easy, but thanks to all the help the school offers – from PAL tutors to instructors’ office hours where you can get individual help – I was able to make it onto the Dean’s List. The secret to not overwhelming yourself with stressing out over homework is starting on it when an assignment is first assigned and not doing it the night before it’s due.

If you decide to come to Ferrum, I really do recommend you try out for a team or participate in intramurals. It adds so much more to your college experience and the student body is great at coming out to support.

Night out in Florida with my teammates

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me!

Anneleisse

Black & Gold, Let’s Go Panthers Go!

BY ANNA, PANTHER BLOGGER

As you know, I am an athlete for Ferrum College. I love to be out on campus supporting all of our sports teams! I have at least one friend, if not more, on each team that I support, so watching them during a game or a match shows my friends that I care about them and support their extracurricular activities. By doing this, it builds a bond much greater than just hanging out with them outside of class.


Ferrum College offers so many sports for both men and women, and the growth of our athletics department is remarkable! From soccer to swimming, and cheerleading to tennis, our campus is flourishing with sporting events all year long! In order to help facilitate our healthy growth of sports teams, we are adding a new building to campus known as the Hank Norton Center, which will provide a work-out and training location for students and athletes. Learn more about our new Hank Norton Center on our website!

Our team at a conference competition in Georgia

However, when I say I am an athlete, I am an athlete! Most people don’t consider cheerleading to be a sport, but here at Ferrum College, IT IS! Unlike cross country, baseball, lacrosse, etc., our season goes all year long. We are present at every home football game and several away football games during the fall and we are present at every home men’s and women’s basketball games during the winter. We also cheer competitively against other colleges and universities in the USA South Conference, such as Christopher Newport University, Greensboro College, and Methodist College.

My friend & I on the field at a Virginia Tech game

Just like any other team, in order for us to compete and travel, we have to fundraise a bit. Our fundraisers, however, are unlike most. This year, we got the chance to work at the Martinsville Speedway on Race Day in the fall and work at some Virginia Tech football games. For me, these were amazing experiences and network-building! With just these two fundraisers, I got the chance to watch my first race and to stand down on the football field in Lane Stadium for the Virginia Tech vs. Miami game for the final touchdown of the tied game with 1 minute left!

We're doing a two and a half high pyramid at a home game

We strive to show our support for Ferrum Athletics the best way possible, and I believe actions are louder than words. We not only cheer on the sidelines to keep the spirit among the crowd involved but we also stunt. We throw girls as tall as two people high in most pyramids to where it is required that you possess skill, technique and poise to place yourself in precise positions and situations. As I always say, “With most sports, you are either catching or throwing a ball. However, we cheerleaders are catching and throwing a body!” To be loud and proud about your support for someone is one thing, but to actually be present and in the action is much better in my eyes.

There’s no “I” in Team!

BY VANESSA, PANTHER BLOGGER

Being a part of Ferrum’s newspaper, The Iron Blade, and the Ferrum Women’s Lacrosse team has been remarkable. I first became interested in The Iron Blade when I picked up the journalism practicum class my sophomore year. I’d had really great English professors that made English so much fun to learn. I was a bit nervous when I first walked into my journalism class because I thought, “what am I doing? I don’t even know how to write in this format! And now the whole school is going to see my writing skills.” I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. At the time, my professor and advisor for The Iron Blade was Dr. Lana Whited. She made journalism so enjoyable to learn that I stuck with it. It wasn’t until my senior year that I was asked by our newly appointed Iron Blade advisor Dr. Karl Roeper if I could be a part of the editors group where I was named News Editor. It’s a great responsibility to have and from which I’m still learning each day. Check out our most recent issue of The Iron Blade online newspaper »

Photo by Gary Holden

The Ferrum Women’s Lacrosse Team is like my second family at Ferrum. A big part of me staying and really enjoying my experience at Ferrum to the fullest has a lot to do with my team and coaches. The variety of personalities and ideas on this team is quite remarkable. I have seen great women graduate and join our lacrosse team here at Ferrum for the past 3 years. All of us have shared so many memories together and to be able to share something special with each one of them is a big deal to me. As part of the NCAA Division III USA South Conference, we were able to travel to many places, such as Georgia, North Carolina and different parts of Virginia. Traveling together was a great way for our team to bond and then bring that bond and connection out on the field. Hard work and dedication has brought us a long way since my freshman year in the program. I’m definitely going to miss my head coach, Karen Harvey, our new assistant coach, Mary Cuddihy, and my teammates/sisters.

Lacrosse team photo by Gary Holden