A Successful "Milk & Cookies with Santa" Event!

by Amanda R., Panther Blogger

The only thing standing between the students and Christmas break are finals!  I want to wish the best of luck to everyone!


While students get caught up in the stress of finals, they can forget to keep their holiday cheer.  On December 9th in the Panther's Den, the Physical Activities Club held the "Milk and Cookies with Santa" event!  This event included coloring pictures, creating reindeer crafts, milk and cookies, and even a photo opportunity with Santa! 

We had great support from fellow students and faculty, who even brought their own children in for the event!  With the great turnout, we raised $176.00 and two huge boxes of donated toys for the Child Advocacy Center.  Events like this really open your heart for the families in need at this time of the year. I love being involved in events like this on campus!

On behalf of the Panther Blog Team, softball team, and Physical Activities Club, I want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday!  Can't wait to be back in January!

- Amanda

Never Underestimate the Value of Community Involvement!

by Caleb T., Panther Blogger

I'm a huge believer that community involvement makes your college experience so much better.  Ferrum faculty and staff help students find great opportunities to get involved with the welcoming local community, and it's worth it!  Check out my video about ways that I've been involved in the local community of Ferrum and the surrounding areas during my time at Ferrum College.

Just in case you can't view the video here, try visiting the link on Youtube:
http://youtu.be/qeEjBVtbASk

"Stacks for the Kids" Fundraiser with ZXE

by Brett W., Panther Blogger

On November 3rd, Zeta Chi Epsilon was making stacks on stacks...of pancakes!  This sorority that I "sweetheart" for has a fundraiser every semester for our philanthropy, The Child Advocacy Center in Rocky Mount. The fundraiser is called Stacks for the Kids.  It's held in Confetti's, which is on the bottom floor of Bassett, a dorm on campus.  Confetti's has everything from a kitchen to couches to big screen TVs!  Tickets were sold in the Franklin Hall atrium for a couple of weeks before the event.  A $2 ticket got the purchaser a plate of three pancakes or wait what...three waffles!  Tickets became $3 at the door, $1 for another plate once they were there, and 100% of the proceeds went to the philanthropy.

The night started off wonderfully with the Bassett fire alarm going off at 7 p.m. (the intended start time of the fundraiser), but finally we were able to get back down there and keep cooking!  ZXE provided all of the toppings, such as butter, syrup, whipped cream, strawberries, bananas, and even had coffee with all of the fixings.

A wide variety of people showed up, from students to professors to family, and at the end of the night, we raised enough money to donate $100 to the Child Advocacy Center of Rocky Mount.  A professor who is on the Advising Panel for this organization said she could not have been more pleased with what we were doing and how much it meant to her and the children.

Overall, the night was filled with fun and excitement, as well as the joy of knowing we were doing something good for others just like Ferrum's motto says: "Not Self, But Others."  So be on the lookout each semester here on out for campus mail talking about Stacks for the Kids, and I hope to see everyone there!

Getting Plugged In With Ministries On and Off Campus

by Caleb T., Panther Blogger

Being involved in local church and in campus ministries at Ferrum has been a huge part of my time at Ferrum College!  Check out my video about spiritual life and campus ministries at Ferrum College - and sorry about the wind in the video!

Just in case you can't view the video here, try visiting the link on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qdW8_Bxwvw

A Class Trip to the Rescue Mission

by Rachel W., Panther Blogger

I am Social Work 330 - Human Behavior class. We have been diligently working on a class trip all semester and finally all the hard work paid off!

As stated on its website, the Rescue Mission in Roanoke, Virginia is "a Christ-centered, grassroots organization offering programs to help people physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. The programs are holistic and involve elements of personal responsibility, self-determination and an internal transformation of values and vision resulting in a restoration of self-respect.  The homeless, the hungry, the sick, the addicted, the abused, and the hopeless have all found a warm welcome at the Rescue Mission. Men, women, and children have found a safe place and compassionate friends in their darkest moments."

The Rescue Mission has been open since 1942 and for more than 62 years, it has served this homeless population in many ways.  The Rescue Mission is open 24/7, and yes, that includes Christmas!

Sculpture outside of the women & children's building

Leslie Holden giving tips to the
guests at the Rescue Mission.

So a few weeks ago, my class traveled to Roanoke to work with some of the folks at the Rescue Mission who are considered "chronically homeless," meaning they have been homeless for at least two years.  My classmates and I ran two workshops for about 35 of the guests at the Rescue Mission. For the first workshop, we went over resumes. We updated some resumes for some of the people and started new ones for others. After the resume portion, we started a mock interview process.  I got to interview two awesome guys and give them pointers on how to answer questions, what questions an employer should not be asking, and other important information that could be beneficial to getting a job!

After both workshops, we were given a tour of the Rescue Mission where we got the chance to see the men's building, the women and children's building, the free clinic, the thrift store, and the cafeteria!  After our tour, we had the chance to sit down and have lunch with some of the guests and employees of the Rescue Mission.

A room inside the Rescue Mission. Each guest is
provided with a quilt that was donated by local
church groups. The quilts are given so the bed
has more of a home-y feel!

An art piece called "The Path," made by a guest
of the Rescue Mission

It was a very rewarding experience, and I hope to return to the Rescue Mission to volunteer in the future!

Getting My CPR Certification

by Paige R., Panther Blogger


On March 20th, fellow Minds-N-Medicine Club member Brittany and I attended the Western Piedmont Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) CPR training course in Martinsville.  Brittany and I are both registered MRC volunteers, so we were able to take the class free of charge.  During this course, we learned the proper methods for CPR on adults, children, and infants.  We also practiced the Heimlich maneuver.

I was so surprised at how sore I was the next day!  The manikins are made in a way that makes it very difficult to give compressions in a manner that is acceptable to receive certification.  In the picture, you can see a green light on the shoulder of the manikin.  This light indicates that the compressions I was giving were satisfactory.

As much as I hope that I never have to give CPR, I'm very glad that I do now have this certification and knowledge!  At Ferrum, it is very common for students to have opportunities like this to go out into the community to do volunteer work, to take a special course, or to work more closely in an area they are interested in.

Minds-N-Medicine Hosts a Blood Drive

by Paige R., Panther Blogger

On Wednesday, March 26th and Thursday, March 27th, the Minds-N-Medicine Club hosted a Virginia Blood Services Blood Drive in the YMCA.  Virginia Blood Services provides blood to the local community.  Every unit of blood that is donated can save up to three lives, directly fulfilling Ferrum's motto:  "Not Self, But Others."

As the President of the Minds-N-Medicine Club, assisting with the organization of the Blood Drive has become very special to me.  Up until the time I went to Zambia (check my video blog about that trip!), I donated blood at all of Ferrum's blood drives.  I am currently on deferral, but I will be able to donate again in August.

Daniel donating blood for
the first time.

Sticker that Virginia Blood Services
gives to blood donors.

Before each Blood Drive, our club holds sign-ups on campus.  One of my friends, Daniel, signed up to donate blood for the first time during this Blood Drive.  He signed up to donate during my lunch break, so I went and sat with him while he donated.

Virginia Blood Services
40-year anniversary t-shirt

Minds-N-Medicine Club member
Josh donating blood.

This experience was so rewarding for me because I had the opportunity to see Ferrum students taking a step to save lives.  While I observed students donating blood, I saw something change in them when they realized that what they were doing was going to make a significant impact on another person.  This event made me so proud of what the Minds-N-Medicine Club does and even more proud of the selflessness of Ferrum students.  Although this was the last Blood Drive I'll ever have the opportunity to assist with at Ferrum College, I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to see my peers make a difference.

Strides Event with Ferrum's Lions Branch Club

by Jessa K., Panther Blogger

Sponsoring an event on campus can be a very overwhelming task!  On February 22, the Ferrum College Lions Branch Club sponsored a Strides event.  Strides is the Lions Club International's diabetes awareness campaign.

Our event was targeted to the Ferrum and Rocky Mount communities as well as the Ferrum College student body.  As Saturday morning rolled around and all of our members were at their stations waiting for the flood of people to arrive, we began to realize one very sad fact:  nobody was going to turn out.  When all was said and done, we had less than 10 students and about 5 community members attend.  Many of the club members and I walked away from the event feeling disheartened, but I began to realize that even though we had a small turnout, everyone who attended learned so much about all types of diabetes and the effects the disease has on its victims.  I also remembered overhearing one community member say that he had learned a lot about his own diabetes, and then it sunk in.  Yeah, it's a shame only a handful of people turned out at the event, but someone really benefited from us having this event and that is what truly matters.

I do not think that any of us would have changed one thing about that day because we were able to learn many valuable lessons about organizing an event and about the true importance of an event like Strides.  After listening to the keynote speakers, Jill Maddy and her daughter Emily, the branch club really started to get excited about our work with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)!  I know that all of us are geared up to help raise money on behalf of JDRF this fall in order to help find a cure for type 1 diabetes. 

Serving Others with the Lions Club

by Jessa K., Panther Blogger

Being in a club on campus can be very time-consuming and hard to juggle especially when combined with other things like classes and jobs.  Being the president of a club or holding any office for that matter can be a serious challenge because, like somebody told Spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility."  He really wasn't joking.  I am currently the president of the Ferrum College Lions Branch Club on campus and it is an all-consuming job, yet it is the most rewarding I have ever had.

Lions International is a health-based community service organization with a focus on vision, hearing, and diabetes.  Our club has tried very hard to stick to these main focus points, and we really try to remain true to the Lions International motto:  "We Serve."  Like Ferrum's motto, it does not get much simpler than that, yet it is so profound.  We do serve. We serve our communities, our country, and our world.  This international organization links millions of people together in the Lions community.

On Tuesday, December 10, thirteen out of fifteen of my branch club members attended an initiation ceremony held for us by the Ferrum College Lions Club.  We were inducted into the parent club as official Lions International members. It was a very rewarding ceremony because it provided us with the physical reward for all of our hard work.  We became a club on campus in the spring semester of 2013.  We are now approaching our first anniversary and just now have finished the long and tedious process of becoming International members.

A few of the events we have participated in during the past year are the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes, an eyeglass drive, a diabetes awareness day, a hearing screening, Spring Fling, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, and Trick-or-Treat for canned goods.  It has been a very busy year and even busier fall semester!

All of these activities have been time-consuming, but I really cannot stress enough how worth it every single second was.  Even though I had to wake up very early some mornings and not return from the event until late at night, I will never feel like I wasted my time.  Helping to make a difference in the lives of others is the best way to spend your time, and don't let anyone tell you differently!

Greeks Helping Others!

by Victoria B., Panther Blogger

Hello, all!

I am President of the local sorority Theta Gamma Omega, also known as OGO.  During September and the beginning of October, we held a campus-wide coat and teddy bear drive. We collected these items in order to donate them to the Rescue Mission located in Roanoke.  We collected coats of all sizes for the adults and children who use the services that the Rescue Mission provides.

OGO also teamed up with the local fraternity Mu Sigma Chi, or MEX, to take the items to be dropped off.  Upon dropping off our items that were donated, our two groups also volunteered at the Rescue Mission for their lunch shift.  We were involved in making hundreds of sandwiches for the needy and even helped serve in the cafeteria lines.  Both groups helped to clean dishes, prepare food, and help the Rescue Mission in many ways. It was very a humbling and beneficial experience for everyone involved.

Greeks and other groups on campus try to be involved in community service projects such as this as often as possible.  OGO and other Greeks try to be living examples of Ferrum's motto "Not Self, But Others."  Becoming part of a Greek organization on campus helped me to become more active both on campus and in the community as a whole. This is just one of the many benefits that becoming involved in this organization has done for me. For anyone who is interested in helping others, being involved in the community, and having fun at the same time, I strongly suggest "Going Greek!"

Not Self, But Others

by Laken P., Panther Blogger

This summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Remote Area Medical Clinic at the Bristol Motor Speedway.  The event is used to provide free dental, physical, and eye care to people in rural areas who have little or no health insurance.  After working in patient registration and blood pathology for the weekend, I not only helped thousands of people receive free healthcare, but I also came out with a changed outlook on life.

The Ferrum College motto is "Not Self, But Others."  I saw this exact philosophy put into action when doctors, dentists, nurses, technicians, office workers, and average people came together from all across the country to donate a few days of their time and services to help others. As I worked the front registration tables, I witnessed thousands of people camp out in their cars and tents for days to attend the clinic. For some of the attendees, the clinic is the only form of healthcare that they will receive all year.  I thought about how frustrated and aggravated I get when I have to sit in the doctor's office waiting room for longer than I want to be there, and I realized that I really am fortunate that I am even able to go to the doctor at all.


By giving up a weekend of my time and contributing some of the skills I have learned in Ferrum's pre-med curriculum, I was able to do my part to help in a significant way. Knowing that a few thousand people were able to get their teeth cleaned, receive a new pair of free eye-wear, or get a thorough physical from a doctor was one of the most indescribable feelings I have ever had. Volunteering at the clinic helped put life into perspective and gave me the extra push to realize beyond any doubt that becoming a doctor is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

At Ferrum College, the curriculum is designed to not only help you reach your career goals but help shape you into a better, well-rounded person who is able to become involved in the community. By working at the clinic and witnessing a smile on the face of someone who is sick and hurting, I truly say that "Not Self, But Others" comes to life. Sure, I had to wake up at 4 a.m. and work extremely long days while sitting out in the cold rain, but I was not there for myself. I was working at the clinic to put others first and use the opportunities I have been given to help the less fortunate.

Not only is the education at Ferrum one of the best you can get, but sometime during your time there, you will see that not only do you grow academically, but you also grow as a person. Community service and helping others will no longer be something you have to do; it will be something you want to do.  I can't wait until next year's clinic, and I plan to make volunteering an annual tradition for me, even after I have a medical degree added to my name!

Fire, Fire, Fire!

by Caleb T., Panther Blogger

Hey y'all,

I know it's been awhile since I last posted, but I have been doing so much on campus and also throughout the community of Ferrum. As some of you may know, I am the sergeant at Ferrum Rescue and also a member of Henry Fire Department. Well, on top of taking classes at Ferrum, I also try to take classes through Franklin County Public Safety, such as Vehicle Extraction, Firefighter 1, HAZ-MAT Operation, and many more.

This past fall, I had the opportunity to take Firefighter 1, and it was great.  Throughout the class, we had hands-on learning opportunities, but none as fun as our final burn.  Our final burn was the time when we took everything we had learned and applied it...in a real fire!  Talk about trial by fire!  I love my job as a firefighter/EMT, but the first time I got to go into a 1100-degree room, all I can say is WOW!  It was amazing!!  The feeling I got being in that burning room was one like I have never had before -- it was a mixture of fear, courage, and honor all collided into an amazing feeling. In that moment, the textbook might as well fly out the window, and the countless hours of training take over and everything becomes purely instinctive.  When you are face to face with a wall of flames, it is truly an experience like none I've ever had.

I have loved my time here at Ferrum because it has allowed me a chance to branch out and try things that I might not have otherwise tried. I have loved expanding my knowledge within the classroom but also within the community.

Wednesday Nights

by Maryann C., Panther Blogger

During the school year, I attend a local church -- Ferrum Faith Assembly of God. I have become very involved with the church during the course of my four years here.  One responsibility that I have taken on for about a year now is teaching a class for elementary-aged girls on Wednesday nights. During these Wednesday nights, the girls and I sing songs, do a Bible lesson, play games, and just spend time together.

Some of the more exciting projects and activities I have done with the girls include puppet shows, making themed snacks (like witches' hats for Halloween), and playing games like musical chairs. I am especially excited about the tea party I am planning for the girls when I return from break!

Teaching this class has been a lot of fun, and I have learned a lot from working with these young ladies. I have enjoyed getting to know these girls and spending time with them.

Greetings from Ferrum College Student Blogger, Caleb!

BY CALEB, A PANTHER BLOGGER 

Hello all!  My name is Caleb, and I’m from Staunton, Virginia.  I am currently a freshman here at Ferrum College. I am presently majoring in Environmental Science with an Outdoor Recreational minor. This first year has been an amazing change in my life. Not only am I studying Environmental Science, but I have also had the opportunity to work on hands-on research projects – projects that involve the American chestnut tree and others that involve forensic science. Besides school, I am heavily involved in the Ferrum community. I am a member of both the Ferrum volunteer rescue squad and the Henry Volunteer Fire Department.  I also help out with ministries at a local church where I attend while I'm in school. I am so happy that Ferrum chose me, and yes, I said Ferrum chose me.

Student Blogger Caleb

I say Ferrum chose me because it really did! I had never heard of Ferrum, Virginia or even the college two and a half years ago. I only found out about this amazing place by way of my sister’s college, Shenandoah University. My parents were up in Winchester, Virginia having lunch with my sister, and then someone from the college came up and started talking about all that SU had to offer.  Like most parents do, my parents somehow threw my name into the mix and said that I was looking at Virginia Tech.  The person speaking with us said that I should look into Ferrum because it seemed to match up with what I wanted to do, not that Virginia Tech is a bad school. So I got more information and the first time I came down here to this gem hidden in the Blue Ridge, I fell in love. I fell in love with the place itself and also the people.

One of the things that I think sets Ferrum apart from all the other colleges in the state of Virginia is the fact that the community is so actively involved in the college; you don’t see that much anywhere else. Yes, Ferrum is a smaller college, but please don’t let that fool you. Just because Ferrum doesn’t have thousands of students, it is, in my book, the best college there is. It is not unusual for me to walk to class and know almost everyone I see.  You are not going to get that close family that you get here anywhere else.

I have loved my first year down here in beautiful Ferrum, Virginia so far, and I look forward to the next three years to come. I can’t wait to see what great thing I am going to do here at Ferrum College. Have a good one y’all!