Sixteen Southern Virginia University students will perform in the Shenandoah Ballet’s production of “Alice in Wonderland” this week. The ballet, directed and choreographed by Missy Floyd, adjunct instructor of dance at Southern Virginia, is based on the Lewis Carroll novel, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

Jessica Morgan, a graduating senior at Southern Virginia, will dance the role of the Duchess. Morgan has participated in the Shenandoah Ballet’s productions since her first year at Southern Virginia, performing in ballets including “Cinderella,” “The Nutcracker,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Coppélia.” She said that “Alice in Wonderland” is her favorite ballet and that she has appreciated the opportunity to watch Floyd “recreate and reshape” the ballet at rehearsals.

(Post by Hannah Benson Rodriguez ’13. Photo courtesy of the Shenandoah Ballet.)

A special class was designed to help students at Southern Virginia learn appropriate and advanced training principles to help them accomplish personal running goals. The class, titled “Advanced Running and Marathoning,” is meant for any student, regardless of current running ability.

While the class itself is presented towards those already familiar with running and is not a basic jogging course, it teaches students how to set appropriate goals regardless of ability, then create their own training programs using proven scientific principles, and finally coach themselves and others to success. These included taking part in half marathons and marathons near the end of the semester.

At the Blue Ridge Marathon in Roanoke, Va., last Saturday, three class participants did just that and more. Nicole Nahoolewa placed 9th overall in the women’s division in 1:44:30, and Leah Huber placed 10th overall in 1:45:08. Kelli Nahoolewa was an unofficial participant and ran the course in 1:42:54.

Ben Houldridge placed 19th overall in the marathon, running 3:23:08. A great time by any standards, even more so considering the brutal climbing in the course. The Blue Ridge Marathon boasts being “The Toughest Road Marathon in America.” The marathon includes a total elevation loss/gain of 7,440 feet. The half marathon 2,528 feet. In 2012, this time would have placed him in the top 10 of the race.

Other class participants Lucas and Catherine Reynolds completed the Charlottesville Half Marathon on April 6 in 2:35:38. Alena Chunn and Stephanie Peabody designed programs for fast times at Southern Virginia’s 5k for 5k. Dan Fotheringham took part in the Monument Avenue 10k in Richmond, Va., on April 13.  

Additional class members, Taylor Ellsworth, Kim Fuentes, Brittany Kovacs and Maia McArthur, are slated for events ranging from 10k to half marathon in the upcoming weeks.

(Post by Dr. Adam Roggia, course instructor.)

 

 

I know it’s late on the uptake here, but I’m sure—no, I’m positive—you’ve all heard the same band being blasted all over campus. If it wasn’t you doing the blasting, then it was your roommate who doesn’t know the purpose of headphones or some guy who has the music in his car turned up so loud everyone can hear it. Unless the prospect of an Indie band coming to our “genius of small” campus somehow didn’t excite you enough to go to the concert, then you know the rockers I’m talking about: The Hunts.

The Hunts, an Indie band composed of seven siblings who just released their album, “We Were Young,” gave an amazing performance in the Stoddard Activities Center last weekend and had everybody on the dance floor grooving and jiving (people still use those words, right?). This charming family is not only talented, but giving, as they also do work for the Haiti Project.

If you missed the concert, do yourself a favor: Feel shame. Then go listen to them on Spotify or buy their album on iTunes.

(Post by Mika McIntosh ‘13. Photos by Dinah Rogers ’13.)

 

 

Southern Virginia’s Director of Student Support Services, Michael J. Gibbons, will be participating as a principal speaker in the One Community, One Book (OCOB) program in the Lexington branch at the Rockbridge Regional Library on April 24 at 7 p.m. The purpose of OCOB is to unite community members through literature. Participants read a pre-selected book and connect with other participants in events and discussion groups related to the selection.

Participants are currently reading a work of historical fiction, “In the Time of the Butterflies,” by Julie Alvarez, which depicts the lives of four courageous sisters who join like-minded individuals in bringing down Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorial regime in the Dominican Republic.  Professor Gibbons, who has sponsored several travel study trips to the DR, will address readers in a presentation titled, “After the Time of the Butterflies: The Dominican Republic Today.” He will draw from his experiences visiting Dominican historical sites as he expounds on the current conditions of the Dominican Republic.

Professor Gibbons’ presentation will, no doubt, be a good one so mark your calendars. Extra copies of the book are probably still available at the Lexington library so get started reading, too. If you don’t have time to read, don’t let that stop you from going—finding a summary online is not a bad idea if you’re short on time.   

(Post by Jonathan H. Bowden ’13. Photos courtesy of Michael J. Gibbons.)

 

On Friday, March 29, the Southern Virginia University Flute Choir presented their final stand-alone performance of the school year. The concert featured music from Italy, Spain, Russia, the Czech Republic and the United States.

The Flute Choir provides a unique performance opportunity—each member is a soloist. Also, of the group’s nine members only one is currently a delcared music major. The Flute Choir’s director, Professor Launa Whitehead, indicated that this type of solo experience for students “wouldn’t happen in a bigger university.”

Whitehead has directed the group since its inception in 2005. Following the recent performance she praised the group for its ongoing progress in terms of intonation, blending skills and technical accuracy.

“It’s as musical and expressive as the group has ever been,” said Whitehead. “They listen better, they’re sensitive, and it’s something they do for self-improvement, not necessarily a career.”

She also praised the unity in the group, specifically complementing senior Imari Mercer for her contribution to the team dynamic.

“We make good music together, but it’s also the friendships that matter,” said Whitehead. “When we can have that special something that turns us into a team… that’s when the real music happens.”

The Flute Choir will perform again in the Spring Choir Concert at 7:30 pm, on Friday, April 19.

(Post by Stephen Taylor ’14. Photos by Lindsey Morgan ’14.)

 

You probably don’t need any more reasons to watch General Conference this weekend, but I will give you another one anyway: BYUtv will be showing a 30-second commercial about Southern Virginia University in between sessions. What I love about this ad is that it features some really great students, it has very fitting background music made by our very own Professor James Leva, and it ends with one of the most endearing high fives I’ve ever seen in advertising history.

You can now be one of the first to see it. Be sure to share this video with your friends and family.

(Post by Jonathan H. Bowden ’13)

Last week, Southern Virginia students voted in the annual student elections. At Friday’s devotional, Tyler MacKay, the current student association president, announced the members of the incoming student executive council. And the winners are:

• President: Maxwell Doxey, a liberal arts major from Buena Vista, Va., who served as the vice president of honor during the past school year.
• Vice president of operations: Chrissy Egbert, a biology major from Decatur, Ill.
• Vice president of campus programming: Austin Davis, a business management and leadership major from Richmond, Mo.
• Vice president of academics and service: Charles Smith, a biology major from Chula Vista, Calif.
• Vice president of honor: Stephen Taylor, an English major from Buena Vista, Va.
• Vice president of arts and athletics: Laura Sowell, a liberal arts major from Provo, Utah
• Vice president of finance: Kasia Stoltenberg, a liberal arts major from Marine City, Mich.

(Post by Hannah Benson Rodriguez ’13. Photo by Lindsey Morgan ’14.)

 

 

Southern Virginia students, faculty and staff joined together to have an etiquette dinner together on a recent Friday evening. At the formal event, Dr. Kaye Hanson, the university’s director of communications, gave a presentation titled, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Unfold Your Napkins!” 

(Post by Hannah Benson Rodriguez ’13. Photos by Dinah Rogers ’13.)

Students at Southern Virginia University can now become licensed in the state of Virginia for three different teaching programs: elementary education, instrumental music and Spanish. Both music and Spanish certifications meet the requirements to teach students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Not only can students now complete licensure requirements to teach straight out of Southern Virginia, but they can complete some requirements at Washington & Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute through the Rockbridge Teacher Education Consortium.

If you want to learn more about the requirements of the program, visit the university website.

(Post by Hannah Benson Rodriguez ’13.)

At the first annual 5K for 5K, cohosted by Southern Virginia University and the City of Buena Vista, 371 participants ran or walked the 5K or 10K courses. The winners of the 5K in the male division were Adam Freeman in first place with a time of 18:55, David Riska in second and Tyler King in third. The winners of the female division were Victoria Faulkner in first place with a time of 20:56, followed by Leah Huber in second and Shelbi Prince in third. The 10K winners were Christopher Polukis, who finished in 35:09, Benjamin Houldridge and Jesse Houchens.

The 5K also featured a number of volunteers, many of whom threw brightly-colored powder at those runners who chose to participate in the optional Powder Path. The 5K raised a total of more than $200,000 in funds for local educational institutions including Southern Virginia and Parry McCluer High School.

(Post by Hannah Benson Rodriguez ’13. Photos by Dinah Rogers ’13 and Lindsey Morgan ’14.)