My New Perspective from Zambia, Africa

by Blake Sproles, Alumnus and Panther Blogger

What fun would life be if we never did anything new?  If we were simply to stay in the same location and do the same exact things day upon day and never push ourselves to do something extreme, then life would very quickly become nothing but a tedious chore.  Sometimes, life can seem to become a bit boring due to the repetitive work days, overbearing workloads, and stressful situations that we as individuals experience on a daily basis.  However, it does not have to be this way. By allowing ourselves to experience new things and step out of our comfort zones, we are capable of breaking free from the same old average daily routine and really grasp life by the horns!  I did exactly this when I traveled to Zambia, Africa this past summer as part of the Orphan Medical Network International medical mission team.

I am grateful that I was selected by one of my Ferrum professors to apply for a position on the trip. I was first interviewed by a group of professors, then had an interview with the OMNI president, Karen ReMine, after which Karen selected me to be a part of her medical mission trip.

A view of Zambia from the airplane.

This was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that really impacted me as an individual and allowed me to reevaluate the manner in which I live my life.  While in Africa, I saw things that I had never seen before, did things that I had never done before, and had my eyes opened to a completely different world.  The experiences that I had while on this trip changed my life and have encouraged me to explore new opportunities each and every chance that I get.

Enjoying a ride through Zambia on the back of a truck!

Cleaning a patient's wound.

During our time in Africa, we held a total of eight different medical clinics, typically seeing about 500 patients in a day.  These clinics were held in various tribes and villages, in which we were able to observe a very different type of lifestyle than what we know and are used to here in the United States.  There is truly one thing that I can say from my observations of the individuals living in these tribes and villages, and this is that family is the most important thing anyone could have.  In the country of Zambia, people are not rushing to work in vehicles, continuously holding a phone in their hand, or always on the computer participating in social media.  Instead, they are helping out one another by weeding the gardens, caring for the livestock, watching over the children, and doing absolutely everything and anything possible to ensure that they can make it through another day.  In Zambia, it is not a common feeling to have the promise of a tomorrow, and the only way to obtain this is to work extremely hard each and every day, and to keep your family close to you at all times.  The feeling of security is something that we oftentimes take for granted and commonly forget about here in the United States.  However, I now know just how blessed I am to have a wonderful family that loves me and that I can wake up every day knowing that everything is going to be just fine.

Performing tests in the medical clinic
laboratory.

Throughout these clinics, I was allowed to participate in the various clinical departments of triage (questioning patients to obtain information regarding their medical needs), pharmacy, diagnosis, wound care, eyeglasses, and the lab.  By working in these various departments, I was able to see many different individuals and medical needs that I could never have even imagined would exist.  Perhaps the one individual who sticks out in my mind the most is a beautiful seventeen-year old girl who had become paralyzed from the waist down at the age of eight or nine due to a severed spinal cord.  This young girl has been reduced to living in a small wooden cart, about half the size of her body, that is equipped with handle bars that she can rotate with her hands to transport herself from one place to another.  Because she is paralyzed and cannot be easily removed from her cart, she obtains frequent pressure sores on her sides due to lying on the cart's hard wooden surface.  These could be easily treated, however the closest medical clinic is more than thirty miles away from where she lives, and this same medical clinic is limited in the supplies and medical instruments that they have.  Thus, she waits to visit the Orphan Medical Network International clinic every year to receive the supplies and care that she needs.

A student of the OMNI school.

Another amazing aspect of this trip was getting to see the impact that OMNI is having in the lives of so many individuals over in Zambia, Africa.  Since the founding of this organization, OMNI has not only been taking annual medical mission trips over to Zambia to help those with medical needs, but they have also started a teaching facility for children who are orphaned or have troubled homes.  These children do not yet have any mode of transportation, so they will walk miles to go to school.  Throughout the school day, these children are not only taught the typical classes such as English, math, and science, but they also learn life skills that directly apply to their lifestyle in Zambia, such as how to properly grow and take care of a garden and livestock.  Not only do these children come to school because they love learning and singing, but it is also perhaps the only way that they can receive a meal during the day.  After getting to visit the school, meet the children, and see the great services that OMNI has provided for these people who are living in a troubled country, it really encourages me to know that we are making a great impact on the lives of these individuals and that what we are doing really does matter.

All in all, there are so many stories to tell about what all I saw during my trip to Zambia, and there really is no way to sum up everything that I have seen into a few words.  However, I can say that this was, without a doubt, one of the greatest experiences that I will ever have.  The time that I spent in Zambia will be with me forever, and I will always be able to look back and reflect on my experiences.  The experience that I gained during this trip in the medical field was priceless and has encouraged me to explore the medical sciences to a greater depth.  I also made some great friends and many new connections during the short period of time that we were in Zambia.  It is a huge honor and blessing to say that I have been offered the chance to return again for another medical mission trip, and I've got to say that I cannot wait for the next trip that I get to take back to Africa.

The Big Finale!

By Blake S., Panther Blogger

Well everyone, this is it! This will be my last blog post as a Ferrum College Panther Blogger. Graduation will be coming up in only two days, and I am just as excited as I could possibly be to walk across the stage and have my diploma handed to me. My time as a student here at Ferrum College is finally coming to an end, and I've got to say that it has been one of the most exciting, yet challenging times in my life. As I've said many times before, being a successful college student is not an easy task. However, with the right kind of people in your life, this task can be much easier to accomplish. For that exact reason, I would like to dedicate this final blog post to everyone who has helped me to become successful in my college career here at Ferrum College.

To begin, I would like to thank everyone who has given me an opportunity to excel and gain a little work experience that will help make me a more competitive applicant for job opportunities as well as graduate school programs. I would like to thank Dr. Michaela Gazdik, who allowed me to perform independent microbiological research projects in her laboratory, as well as gain experience in presenting at professional conferences. Also, I would like to thank both Dr. Laura Grochowski and Dr. Katie Goff for allowing me to be their Organic Chemistry tutor and Anatomy & Physiology practicum student this past year. These positions provided me with the opportunity to help students and gain insight into the profession of being a teacher and a leader. I would also like to give another shoutout to Alyson Brackin, the Residence Hall Educator of Basset Hall, and my boss. I have learned a lot from having the position of being a resident assistant, and the work experience and connections that I have made as a result of this position are priceless. And finally, I can't forget Letisha Houston, who has provided me with this great opportunity to be a Panther Blogger and gain valuable skills in the field of communication and writing. I would also like to thank all of my professors here at Ferrum College for the help and knowledge that they have provided me with over the past two years.

Although the professors and staff here at Ferrum College are the foundation for becoming a successful college student, I would not have been able to make it through college without the help of my friends and family. You have all been there for me anytime that I became stressed out or just needed somebody to talk to. I attribute many of my accomplishments to you, and I know that if it was not for your help and motivation, I would not be where I am today.

I would like to conclude my last blog post with a "Thank You" to everyone in the Ferrum College community for making me a part of the Ferrum College family. I can surely testify that Ferrum College is an excellent institution to gain a great education, make great friends, and achieve great success. It has been a great pleasure being a Panther Blogger, and I hope that I was able to motivate and provide some great insight into the life of a college student to others. I will see you all around!

The Beginning of the End

by Blake S., Panther Blogger

It is almost impossible to believe that my senior year at Ferrum has finally arrived!  Although I transferred into Ferrum College as a junior and I knew that my time here would be limited to a total of only two years, it seems like I have been a part of the Ferrum College family for a very long time. Within the year that I have spent here so far, I have learned such a great amount of knowledge and have been granted so many opportunities that I still find it hard to believe!

Thus far in my final fall semester as an undergraduate, I have taken on two new duties alongside being a student. These include being a resident assistant and an organic chemistry tutor.  These are excellent opportunities that will aid me in the development of my resume and graduate school applications while also providing me with a unique experience and a nice paycheck!

Getting ready for the Homecoming game!

Picking out some Halloween costumes!

The classes this semester have been a new challenge in themselves, now being higher level courses.  However, no matter how tough the classes become, I am always able to manage time to sit back, relax, and enjoy time with friends.  A few of the activities that I have participated in lately have included going to the homecoming football game, participating in the Ferrum College centennial activities, and traveling to Roanoke to enjoy time away from campus.

It is an exciting time in my life to know that I am almost about to complete this very challenging and crucial stage in my life.  I am anxiously awaiting the day on which I will be able to walk across the stage and receive that piece of paper that encompasses all of the accomplishments that I have achieved since I have been here at Ferrum College.

The Transferring Transformation

by Blake S., Panther Blogger

Perhaps one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences that I have had thus far in my life was the transition from being a community college student to becoming a Ferrum College student. The main reason this was so challenging for me was because of the new environment I was being placed into. I was going from a community where I felt very comfortable to somewhere that I knew very little about. I was transferring into a college where I didn't know anyone, was going to live on my own, and take classes that I had never even heard of before. I was very nervous but excited at the same time to embrace this new stage of my life. I thought that attending Ferrum College would be just like the community college except even better now that I was able to be more independent.  However, after a few weeks of my first semester at Ferrum, I learned that there were very few similarities between this private four-year college and the community college.

At the community college, I was able to both be a full-time student and have a full-time job, working anywhere from thirty to forty hours a week without becoming overwhelmed. The classes I took were not very demanding, and many of the professors were very lenient on the assigned coursework. I also had tons of free time throughout the week and in between classes to go grab a bit to eat, hang out with friends, and just relax. Life was easily lived and not challenging at all.

Playing volleyball with friends back home

Unfortunately, I had the mindset that Ferrum College would be the same way. I actually expected that attending Ferrum would be a little easier than community college since I did not plan to work a full-time job while taking classes at the same time. However, I soon learned that being a student at Ferrum College was a full-time job in itself.

Since I transferred into Ferrum as a junior, most of my classes are advanced upper level courses. These are much more challenging than the introductory and basic level courses that I had taken throughout my two semesters at the community college. In the fall, I was also exposed to professors I had never worked with before and teaching styles that were very different from what I was used to. I learned very quickly that if I wanted to be successful in my college career here at Ferrum, I would need to develop time management and organizational skills. These were not easy things to do, especially since I never had to worry much about them beforehand, but once I learned how to execute them effectively, my life became much easier and the semester became more enjoyable.

Presenting independent research at the Blue Ridge
Undergraduate Research conference

It was also a new experience for me to live on a college campus. One of the main reasons I decided to attend Ferrum College was because it was away from home. I was ready to see what it was like to have to support oneself. I thought that it would be a great eye-opener to have the responsibility of being a full-time student and making good grades while at the same time carrying on with life without my family there to provide for me. This is perhaps the challenge I have enjoyed the most. I learned that living on my own is actually much more enjoyable than living at home, and the responsibility has encouraged me to mature and become more determined to succeed.

An afternoon of hiking with friends at Ferrum College

My first semester at Ferrum College was not an easy one. However, after developing time management and organizational skills, making new friends, and building professional relationships with the faculty on campus, I was able to overcome my struggles and be successful. Being introduced to the new and more educationally-developed environment at Ferrum College has allowed me to grow in knowledge and become prepared for life in the real world. I feel that my experience of transferring from a community college into Ferrum College has transformed me into a new and better person.

Hello from New Panther Blogger, Blake!

by Blake S., Panther Blogger

Hello, everyone!  My name is Blake, and I am a transfer student here at Ferrum College. I am majoring in Biology and double-minoring in Chemistry and Forensic Science. I would like to first introduce myself by telling you about how and why I decided to attend Ferrum College.

I was born and raised in Bristol, Virginia, where I graduated from John S. Battle High School. Upon my graduation, I knew that I wanted to attend college but was not sure where I wanted to go. Having already completed a year of dual enrollment classes, my final decision was to attend my local community college, Virginia Highlands Community College, and obtain my Associate Degree in Science.

A few months before graduating from Virginia Highlands, I knew it was time for me to begin searching for a four-year college that I could attend to obtain a bachelor's degree. I started my search with the Community College's transfer agreement list. This was a list of local colleges that Virginia Highlands had collaborated with to provide special benefits for graduating students who wanted to transfer to a 4-year college.  A few of these benefits included not having to pay a college application fee, having all of the obtained college credits transferred, and receiving a small scholarship.

Performing microbiological independent research at Ferrum

Ferrum College, alongside many other colleges and universities, was on the transfer agreement list. The reason that Ferrum College sparked my interest is because it was a small college, it was away from home, and it had a great biology program. There were also a number of opportunities present at Ferrum that were not available at other colleges.

The inaugural class of the Freshman
Scholar's Program.

At this point in my life, I was positive that biology was what I wanted to study. I thoroughly enjoyed both the biology and chemistry classes that I had taken thus far, and I wanted to further my education in these two areas. I was also ready for the experiences of living away from home and having to support myself while studying at the same time. There were many other colleges that could have fulfilled these two requirements I needed, however, Ferrum College, more so than any of the other colleges on the transfer agreement list, promoted numerous programs and resume-building opportunities. A few of these that struck my interest included the Freshman Scholar's Program, the E-Term experience, and being able to perform undergraduate independent research.  Ferrum College also promoted their fraternities and sororities on campus, numerous clubs, and the Ferrum Outdoors Program.

Desperately wanting to be able to branch out and participate in new experiences, I knew that Ferrum College was the place where I wanted to be. After attending a single Panther Preview (open house) and meeting a few of the professors and students, I made the final decision that Ferrum College would be my home for the next two years. This was a huge future-determining decision that I made, and I have yet to regret a single moment of it.

The top of McAfee's Knob near Roanoke after a day of hiking

I strongly encourage prospective students to explore the Ferrum College website, and browse the numerous opportunities available here. Also, attend an open house event and visit the college campus to speak with a few of the professors and students. This is the best way to figure out if Ferrum is the right college for you. If you have any questions about the opportunities and programs offered here at Ferrum, do not hesitate to ask.

- Blake

Studying Business at Ferrum

BY ANNA, PANTHER BLOGGER

To be a college student and have your own business is stressful but DEFINITELY a learning experience! I started my own photography business as a hobby when I was 16 years old, and it grew into more than I could ever imagine. I thought that in order to help learn how to run my business more effectively, I should major in Business Management rather than photography, and it was a great decision.

Dr. Basu, one of my professors

My professors all know that I have my own business; they check up on my pictures and how I’m doing quite often. I came to Ferrum as a transfer from Virginia Western Community College, so I took all my general education classes before I got to Ferrum. This allowed me to stay focused on my Business courses for the past two years. I am able to apply all the knowledge I have from my experience with the education I am getting on a daily basis in class. To be an example of everything my professors are teaching has made my experience so much easier.

The business department offers classes such as Business Finance, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Marketing, Accounting, etc. and offers a variety of different professors and students from all over the world. I have the honor to have two professors from two different countries outside of the United States, one from Greece and one from India, and I have also had the privilege to study with students from China and Ireland. It doesn’t matter if you are an athlete or an exchange student – if you want to understand and enjoy learning about business, then it is the best path to follow!

Beckham Hall

Over the past two years, I have grown to know my professors and my fellow business students, and we all can agree that everyone cares for one another! Our main academic building for business classes is Beckham Hall, and by the time we reached the half-way point of our senior year, we realize that we’ve grown quite fond of that brick building in the center of campus. Like I said in my previous blog, the professors here at Ferrum College care very much about your studies and participation – just as much as you do, if not more. They care about you being in class and making good grades because they want you to succeed.

Greetings from Ferrum College Student Blogger, Anna!

BY ANNA, A PANTHER BLOGGER

Hey guys, I’m Anna. I am a transfer graduate from Virginia Western Community College, and my major is Business Management. I am from Buchanan, Virginia where I started my own photography business while I was in high school. I went to community college to get my general studies taken care of and then transferred to Ferrum College to focus on my core curriculum classes, as well as to build a network with faculty and friends that cannot be found anywhere else. With my Business Management degree, I plan to advance further as a professional photographer with my business, and to possibly work for the Discovery Channel or National Geographic. With high hopes, I know I can achieve my goals one day. I am a senior this year, and I plan to graduate May 5, 2012.

Copyright A.B.E. Photography

On campus, Ferrum College is nicknamed “God’s Country,” and it fits!  I found out about Ferrum because my cousin attended school here and I came to see him graduate; I fell in love with the college! The scenery at Ferrum, the friendships that my cousin had, and the learning atmosphere that the college offers all made me realize that Ferrum could be the place for me. I graduated from Virginia Western in 2010 and the only place I could imagine myself going was Ferrum! 

Ferrum is small and rural, but that is not a bad thing. You are not just a face; you are a face with a name, and everyone actually cares about who you are and where you are outside of class. Your grades and extracurricular activities are just as important to them as they are to you.  I am constantly in the same building every day—Beckham Hall—and I have come to know that my fellow students in the business department and my teachers are my family. We look out for one another.

My number one piece of advice is to Go To Class!  I never miss class unless I am sick, and even then, I email my professors to tell them I am sick. That shows my teachers that I care. One time I missed my final exam in Accounting because of a long story of events, and my professor sent a resident assistant to come see if I was okay. I was frantic and he knew that me missing class rarely happened, so he offered to give me my exam and I passed the class with an A. Instances like mine do not happen often, so take control of your studies.

My second piece of advice is to Get Involved On Campus!  There are so many clubs, sports and organizations to fit anyone and everyone, and you can be involved in as many as you want!  I currently am Student Government President, a cheerleader, a sister of Zeta Chi Epsilon, and a member of Students in Free Enterprise.  At the same time, I still have the title of professional photographer and take pictures of campus and my life here as much as possible. There are also plenty of other things to do off campus as well. My favorite thing to do is to drive to Philpott Lake and sit on the beach or the dock and do homework, or go out for a day with sorority sisters and fraternity brothers. We don’t swim all the time, but just to have a nice relaxing spot off campus with a pretty view is a luxury that I must take advantage of.  

All in all, there is no Facebook status, thesis paper, picture from an event or blog post that can express to you how much I love Ferrum. Having cookouts with my fraternity brothers and sorority sisters, cheering so hard that I lost my voice, studying with my classmates and making websites for a local cabinetry shop are just a FEW of the things I did in one semester, but in a year, the memories just get to be too many to list!  The faculty, staff, students and family I have made at Ferrum truly are one-of-a-kind and I could not ask for more. Whether it is a Saturday night or a Tuesday afternoon, a memory to cherish is made here.