Alumni & Friends

Meet Our Alumni

• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1443-israel-oquinn" title="Israel O’Quinn" aria-label="Israel O’Quinn"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,12,240,254/2357_Israel_OQuinn.rev.1516296415.png" alt="Israel O’Quinn" title="Israel O’Quinn" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="240" data-max-h="320"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1443-israel-oquinn"><p> Israel O’Quinn is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Delegate Israel O’Quinn was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates on November 8, 2011. He represents the 5th House District which is comprised of Bristol City, Galax City, Grayson County, Smyth County (part) and Washington County (part). <br/><br/> As an advocate for Southwest Virginia, Israel works to ensure the 5th District is well-represented in Richmond. Israel serves as Deputy Majority Whip and his legislative committee assignments include Commerce and Labor, Privileges and Elections, as well as Militia, Police and Public Safety. He serves as the Chairman of Subcommittee Number Four in the Privileges and Elections Committee and he also serves as Chairman of Subcommittee Number Three in the Commerce and Labor Committee. Israel is a member of the legislative Coal and Energy Commission and he serves on the Board of Directors for the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center.</p><p> As a citizen legislator, Israel is employed by K-VA-T Food Stores, the parent company of the Food City retail supermarket chain. He currently directs the company’s Office of Strategic Initiatives, in addition to chairing the company’s Energy Conservation Committee, which has implemented a number of energy conservation measures throughout the K-VA-T distribution center and numerous stores. Prior to joining the K-VA-T team in 2006, Israel served in various roles in government and campaigns. He spent two years in the office of Attorney General Jerry Kilgore and worked on a number of political campaigns, including those for Governor, Attorney General, US Senate, House of Delegates and various local offices.</p><p> Israel is Past Chairman of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, which has Five Star accreditation from the US Chamber of Commerce. Israel is a recipient of the Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 award, as well as Emory & Henry College’s Young Alumnus of the Year award. While at Emory & Henry College, Israel played on the varsity baseball team and graduated with degrees in Political Science and History.  Israel is also a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Glade Spring, Virginia.</p><p> Israel and his wife, Emily, reside in Washington County, Virginia.  Emily works as a corporate communications professional and she is an avid supporter of community organizations at both the state and local levels. Over the years, her service on a number of boards has focused on various business and philanthropic initiatives including expanding educational opportunities for children and increasing access to the arts.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1443-israel-oquinn" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2720-jelani-patterson" title="Jelani Patterson" aria-label="Jelani Patterson"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,54,426,480/6497_jelani.rev.1561996179.jpg" alt="Jelani Patterson" title="Jelani Patterson" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="426" data-max-h="567"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2720-jelani-patterson"><p> Jelani Patterson owns and operates “Exit Strategy” in Charlotte, North Carolina.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Jelani Patterson is a member of the Emory & Henry Class of 2003 and a businessman in Charlotte, North Carolina. He owns and operates “Exit Strategy” – an escape room business where friends and, often, co-workers attempt to find their way out of a locked room by using cryptic clues and hidden hints.</p><p> Jelani was inducted into the Emory & Henry Sports Hall of Fame, in 2018 for his accomplishments as an E&H football player. He played defensive end, and was part of the team that won the ODAC Championship in 2000. He is still in the record books at Emory & Henry for number of sacks in a single season (13) and number of career sacks (28). He was First Team all ODAC, First Team All-American AFCA, and Third Team All-American D3Football.com.</p><p> Jelani is a former police officer for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. He won the chief’s award for graduating at the top of his class: #1 out of 72 recruits.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2720-jelani-patterson" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1295-sarah-agron" title="Sarah Agron" aria-label="Sarah Agron"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,857,1132/1875_me.rev.1515517710.png" alt="Sarah Agron" title="Sarah Agron" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,857,1132/1875_me.rev.1515517710.png 2x" data-max-w="857" data-max-h="1132"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1295-sarah-agron"><p> Sarah’s work with Migrant Health Network gives her a new perspective on the world.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Sarah Agron’s internship with the Migrant Health Network was likely the key to her being hired. And she credits her E&H professors with pushing her to try new challenges. “My professors helped to push me out of my comfort zone in many different ways, and encouraged me to push through my timidity when it came to speaking another language.”<br/><br/> Her job title is Outreach Worker. with Migrant Health Network. “What I do is reach out to the migrant farm worker population here in Washington and Smyth counties and offer my help with anything they might be needing regarding health care. I offer interpretation, transportation, and care navigation. I’m basically a bilingual case manager. Also, I try to help with filling out insurance applications and providing health education materials in Spanish.”<br/><br/> Sarah says the Migrant Health Network’s goal is to provide services/care to as many migrant workers as possible. “Our group has 4 workers each serving about 3 counties a piece here in Southwest Virginia. In 2017, we served 720 farm workers. We hope for that number to grow for 2018. Our organization is about providing care to those who would normally feel helpless to try to go about taking care of their health care needs.”<br/><br/> She says every day presents a new challenge, and because the culture is so different from hers and because she’s dealing with medical issues, she is always having to expand her vocabulary. “I can go in with a patient to a regular check-up, and the next thing I know, the doctor is talking about different kinds of deep sea fish the patient should be eating, or maybe some kind of neurological illness I’ve never heard of before.”<br/><br/> She says she appreciates not only the education she got at Emory & Henry…but also the empathy she gained. “By the time I graduated from E&H in 2015, I had learned to see what was going on in the world through other people’s eyes, which has helped me considerably in a job where I am almost constantly with those from another culture and background.”</div><div/><div/><div/></div><a href="/live/profiles/1295-sarah-agron" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1863-beau-blevins" title="Beau Blevins" aria-label="Beau Blevins"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg" alt="Beau Blevins" title="Beau Blevins" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1500" data-max-h="2100"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1863-beau-blevins"><p> Beau Blevins is the Director of Government Consulting for the Virginia Local Government Finance Corporation.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Beau serves as Director of Government Consulting for the Virginia Local Government Finance Corporation.  In this capacity, he advises localities on finance-related matters and leads business development and government relations efforts.  Beau previously served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) for six years, where his chief duties included local government relations and advocacy in the areas of tax and finance.  In addition, he served as a Senior Budget Advisor at the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget under the Kaine and McDonnell gubernatorial administrations.   </p><p> Beau most recently served on Governor Ralph Northam’s transition team for finance and tax policy. In 2013, he was appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe to serve on the Board of Visitors to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, a post he still holds today. Beau is a graduate of the <em>LEAD VIRGINIA </em>program.  He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from George Mason University and a B.A. in Political Science from Emory & Henry College.</p><p> A 2005 graduate, Beau credits Emory & Henry for teaching him the importance of public service and relationship building. More importantly, E&H is where he established many lifelong friendships.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1863-beau-blevins" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/13-" title="Sydney England" aria-label="Sydney England"><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.jpg" alt="Sydney England" title="Sydney England" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/13-"><p> Sydney England (’14) Receives Prestigious Fellowship Opportunity </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> She received the Armbrister Memorial Scholarship for freshmen honors and the Outstanding Senior Award from the Sociology Department. She was on the dean’s list all eight semesters while a student at Emory & Henry, and she graduated summa cum laude with college honors. She also was inducted into several national honor societies.</p><p> Is it any wonder that Sydney England is one of only two students throughout the country selected to receive the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Fellowship, providing a two-year period of work and study in philanthropy and charitable work?</p><p> England, a 2014 graduate of Emory & Henry College, was nominated by the college, which is among many liberal arts colleges and universities eligible for support from the Jessie DuPont Fund. England was selected from a large field of applicants.</p><blockquote> Dr. Joe Lane brought the fellowship opportunity to my attention. I don’t know if I ever fully set my sights on the fellowship because it always seemed like a long shot.Sydney EnglandClass of 2014</blockquote><p> The Jessie Ball duPont Fund Fellowship program, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is designed to provide practical experience for students interested in careers with nonprofit, faith-based, or philanthropic organizations. As a fellow, England is exposed to foundation governance, grant making, governmental oversight, and industry events.</p><p> “Responsibilities shift daily, but primarily it’s a lot of research and grant management. The fellows are really there to support senior staffers with some of their project management and report preparation,” explained England.</p><p> “This fellowship will afford me an acute insight into the full life-cycle of a grant, from initial proposal to grant management and re-evaluation. It’s very rare to have the opportunity to see this grant maturation within a wide array of nonprofit organizations at my age and experience level,” she said.</p><p> “I’m really just hoping to develop a strong grant writing and nonprofit management portfolio and to engage in meaningful personal research during my two years at the Fund.”</p><p> England is among the fifth class of fellows at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Some of their predecessors work with the Peace Corps, religious organizations, and community-based nonprofits.</p><p> Her accomplishments at Emory & Henry are equally impressive.</p><p> The alumna doubled majored in sociology and history with a minor in women’s studies. “When I entered Emory & Henry, I was the conventional high-performing student who was primarily concerned with grades. If nothing else, E&H taught me that if you aren’t imagining beyond your goals, you aren’t giving yourself enough latitude to grow.”</p><p> While a student at Emory & Henry, England was a research assistant, and she also gained experience working for Terry McAuliffe’s campaign for governor in Virginia.</p><p> Her honors thesis was entitled “Check Here: A Critique of Normative Discursive Categorization within Survey Construction.” The premise of her research was to address some of the General Social Survey’s methodological limitations.</p><p> “I found that nominal and mutually-exclusive language, as it pertains to the General Social Survey categorization of sex, creates a false sense of normativeness within American society and harshly limits the accuracy of data when causal inferences link these two categories to various other demographic features within the data set. Ultimately, I created an alternative survey proposal that I hope will be adopted more frequently on campus.”</p><p> England said her experiences at Emory & Henry have enabled her to be a successful person, employee, and citizen.</p><p> “I feel the impact of my liberal arts education daily and in several dimensions. First, I often find myself willing to engage in critical, solutions-oriented dialogue, and I think that’s a direct result of the type of Socratic courses that you regularly find at Emory.</p><p> “Second, I’m acutely aware of the impact that place has on people, and this is really imperative when you’re in a workspace. I’m really aware of workplace dynamics and organizational core values. Those are really important to understand when you’re trying to figure out how you, the individual, fit into the structure. At Emory, we were constantly reminded of how people and place are inextricably connected.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/13-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2879-kevin-rogers" title="Kevin Rogers" aria-label="Kevin Rogers"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/15,146,995,1127/6698_IMG-1203.rev.1565224651.JPG" alt="Kevin Rogers" title="Kevin Rogers" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/15,146,995,1127/6698_IMG-1203.rev.1565224651.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/15,146,995,1127/6698_IMG-1203.rev.1565224651.JPG 3x" data-max-w="1215" data-max-h="2610"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2879-kevin-rogers"/></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Kevin Rogers graduated in 1997 and is an educator and school administrator in Atlanta. He is assistant principal at North Springs High School in Fulton County, Georgia.</p><p> In 2017 he was inducted into  the E&H Sports Hall of Fame as a three-year football starter playing offensive guard. Kevin was named All-ODAC for three seasons,  and was also named for All-State College Division honors for three seasons. In 1996, Kevin was named Third-Team All-America and First-Team All-Region.</p><p> You can reach him at: <a href="mailto:Kadenmaiden52@yahoo.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kadenmaiden52@yahoo.com</a></p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2879-kevin-rogers" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1746-cathy-cuskey-large" title="Cathy Large" aria-label="Cathy Large"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/201,93,535,426/3153_cuskey_large.rev.1518207527.jpg" alt="Cathy Cuskey Large" title="Cathy Cuskey Large" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="604" data-max-h="453"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1746-cathy-cuskey-large"/></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Cathy Cuskey Large (’93) used to avoid physics like the plague: so, of course, she is now flourishing as a Medical Physicist.</p><p> “I took physics in high school and just hated it. But I had a teacher at Virginia Highlands Community College who made me love it.”</p><p> So she transferred to Emory & Henry, graduated with a major in physics and a minor in math, and then headed to UT for a master’s in physics. While there she ventured into the engineering department to explore a more applications-based area of physics (less theoretic), and that’s where she first heard about medical physics. She’s never looked back.</p><p> She has worked at the clinic level where she had to implement logistics necessary to make it safe for cancer patients and health workers to be around radiation treatment. “We even have to take into consideration someone who might be working on the roof on a given day.”</p><p> Her work there involved everything from selecting proper building materials to measuring wall widths. These days she’s working for Phillips Medical as a consultant, and is writing algorithms for the administration of radiation. “It’s a great career, and there aren’t a lot of people doing this – so there are great opportunities for new grads.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1746-cathy-cuskey-large" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/701-" title="Will Wadlington" aria-label="Will Wadlington"><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,411,441/351_22190fabaa5cf5891f3c9f97021a2c3b_f7834.rev.1500384865.jpg" alt="Will Wadlington" title="Will Wadlington" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="411" data-max-h="441"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/701-"><p> Salad Days </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Will Wadlington (’08) recently shared a little tidbit:</p><p> “You may like to know I just accepted a new position as Lettuce Breeder, fyi.”</p><p> How could we not have follow up questions??</p><p> He recently defended his Ph. D. work in Plant Biology at the University of Illinois, and his current research is on spinach sex chromosomes. Working at Everglades Research & Education Center, Dr. Wadlington says they are doing research to determine how plants control whether they are male or female. “We don’t really know how plants do that, so I’m researching how spinach (my specialty) and also papaya use sex chromosomes to have male or female plants.  It’s basic research to figure out how botany works.”</p><p> Turns out there’s an advantage to being able to change the sex of spinach: “I developed a variety of spinach that makes YY spinach (not XX not XY but with two Y’s).  Breeders use those for seed production to make the most pollen.”</p><p> His next post-doc job will be working with lettuce. In particular, he’s looking at making lettuce more disease-resistant.  “Lettuce in the field gets pathogens sometimes and it can ruin a crop or make them ugly.  We are finding varieties that are resistant to common diseases so we can then breed naturally occurring resistance genes into major lines.”</p><p> The hope is for less food waste and higher quality produce – which is great for growers, but also for the environment. “Disease-resistant lettuce requires fewer chemical sprays when cultivated, so it’s cheaper to produce, better for the environment, and great for the people that work in the fields and eat salads.”</p><p> Let-us all hope for Will’s success.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/701-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2461-emma-sturgill" title="Emma Sturgill" aria-label="Emma Sturgill"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/5661_Emma_sturgill.rev.1542300590.jpg" alt="Emma Sturgill" title="Emma Sturgill" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/5661_Emma_sturgill.rev.1542300590.jpg 2x" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="960"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2461-emma-sturgill"><p> Emma Sturgill is a scientific researcher <em>and</em> an entrepreneur. </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Emma Sturgill, PhD, graduated from the Emory & Henry College in 2009 with a degree in Biology. She continued her education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, to study the activity of cytoskeletal proteins during cell division.  Upon obtaining her PhD in Cell Biology in 2014, Emma launched a biotechnology company, PurSolutions, LLC that specializes in protein manufacturing and self-assembling technologies. <br/><br/> PurSolutions, LLC is a startup biotechnology company located in Nashville that works to harness cytoskeletal proteins for self-assembly innovations and advancements in research. They operate under the premise that nature has devised the most powerful and efficient mechanisms imaginable, and work at the intersection of biology and engineering to harness natural phenomena for synthetic applications. They work to supply premium quality cytoskeletal proteins as easily accessible reagents and harness the cytoskeleton for self-assembling materials and devices.</p><p> Emma describes her work this way: “The ‘cytoskeleton’ is the cell’s internal skeleton.  It is made of protein building blocks that constantly rearrange in order to allow the cell to move and have shape.  At PurSolutions, we purify the individual protein building blocks away from the rest of the cell so that researchers can study them in isolation.  Researchers use our protein products to better understand the life of the cell and what goes wrong during human disease.”</p><p> She says she owes her fascination for cell biology to Emory & Henry. “Learning that the cell, the most basic unit of life, has molecular transport highways, power plants, assembly lines, and information data banks opened my eyes to the dynamic, microscopic world that is the center of human health and disease.  The emphasis that E&H places on the liberal arts and community service further encouraged me to work at the intersection of multiple disciplines, including entrepreneurship and education.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2461-emma-sturgill" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/811-karen-griffey-todd" title="Karen Todd" aria-label="Karen Todd"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg" alt="Karen Griffey Todd" title="Karen Griffey Todd" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2400,3200/573_Karen_Griffey_Todd_EH_84.rev.1505494592.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2400" data-max-h="3200"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/811-karen-griffey-todd"><p> A tall tale of giraffes and philanthropy.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><blockquote><p><strong>It’s a tall tale.</strong></p></blockquote><p> When the City of Kingsport was building a carousel, they needed sponsors for the array animals that would soon be running in circles to the delight of young and old. When Karen Griffey Todd (’84) heard there was a giraffe that needed a sponsor, she was ready to step up.<br/><br/> On a trip to Africa in 2001 she fell in love with the long-necked creatures, and now she feels passionate about the real ones and the wooden one that delights children on Kingsport’s now-famous Carousel.<br/><br/><img width="500" height="750" alt="Rothschild the Giraffe stands tall on the Kingsport Carousel" src="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/750/574_Kingsport_Carousel_Giraffe.rev.1505494593.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image574 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half" data-max-w="683" data-max-h="1024"/><span class="lw_image_caption lw_column_width_half lw_align_left" style="width: 500px">Rothschild the Giraffe stands tall on the Kingsport Carousel</span>“I will never forget the very first time I saw one in the wild in Tanzania. Then I started reading & learning about them & found that no one had really studied them that much. I was lucky enough to go back to Africa in 2014 to see them in Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe. They are already extinct in several African countries. The giraffe is now considered a “vulnerable” species for wildlife conservation with a few of the subspecies being endangered, including the Rothschild giraffe found in Kenya.”<br/><br/> In fact, Rothschild is the name Karen gave to her Carousel giraffe.  Hopefully, folks will give a second thought to the serious plight of Rothschild’s real ancestors as they take a turn for fun.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/811-karen-griffey-todd" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/683-" title="Victor Trussell" aria-label="Victor Trussell"><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,33,533,566/322_Victor_Trussell.rev.1499440958.jpg" alt="Victor Trussell" title="Victor Trussell" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="533" data-max-h="800"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/683-"><p> Victor Trussell ’13 starting acting on a whim – and now he’s acting professionally.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Victor says he started acting his freshman year of high school, enjoyed it so much he majored in theatre at Emory & Henry, and now he on the stage all the time.</p><p> “I have been performing with a variety of different professional theatre companies since graduation. I have toured the country multiple times with companies like Bright Star Touring Theatre and The National Theatre for Children, both listed by Backstage as ’12 Touring Theater Companies That Make a Difference.’” Not only has acting become his vocation, but he is proud of the impact he is having on school kids.  “These experiences have allowed me to perform for thousands of children, educating them on a range of topics spanning from historical figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. to the importance of energy conservation.”</p><p> His range of theatre involvement shows an amazing array of skills. He has performed with <em>Trumpet in the Land</em>, a historical outdoor drama in New Philadelphia, Ohio, that tells the story of frontier Ohio.  And he has also been in <em>Hairspray</em>, <em>Les Miserables</em>, and even <em>Winnie the Pooh</em>.</p><p> In the summer of 2016, Victor will be performing at the Tecumseh Theater in Ohio doing Shakespeare. “Either <em>The Tempest</em> or <em>Macbeth</em>, or both!”</p><p> Victor is also a playwright. His one-act play <em>Millennial Show</em> has been published in the first edition of <em>Young Scribblers</em>, a publication started by fellow E&H alum Forrest Williams (E&H ’16). “The play, in the form of a variety show, pokes fun at generational stereotypes as well as challenges the ‘problems’ young people face today. Taken from real interviews, <em>Millennial Show</em> also features commentary on related topics addressed within the play.”</p><p> Victor ended up at Emory & Henry because he “loved the intimacy of the campus and classes. I had a ton of hands-on experience in the theatre department.” He is planning to use that experience to keep on writing and performing and inspiring others.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/683-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2568-jerry-york" title="Jerry York" aria-label="Jerry York"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1536,1536/6061_jerry_york.rev.1552495017.jpg" alt="Jerry York" title="Jerry York" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1536,1536/6061_jerry_york.rev.1552495017.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1536,1536/6061_jerry_york.rev.1552495017.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1536"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2568-jerry-york"><p> Jerry York is working around the world while serving American military personnel </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Jerry York is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and works through the Zeider’s company as a personal financial counselor helping our active duty military with financial literacy, debt reduction, budgeting, investing, estate planning, retirement, etc. Zeider’s is a veteran-owned government contractor that provides human services solutions to military and veteran communities.  He has worked in various locations around the world, and currently lives in Grafenwoehr, Germany.</p><p> A Business and Economics major at Emory & Henry, he got his start with Alex Brown & Sons. Eventually, he ran his own financial services firm, JD York, in Richmond, Virginia. He says Emory & Henry gave him just the start he needed to get his career underway. “At Emory & Henry, professors took the time to know and listen to my desires in education and career.  Dave Collins let me do an independent study in financial statement analysis which helped me pursue a career in the financial services industry.”</p><p> Jerry loves his work, and is proud of who he gets to work with. “It is a privilege to be able to help those who protect our right to pursue happiness participate in making their own American dream a reality.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2568-jerry-york" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1751-erick-long" title="Erick Long" aria-label="Erick Long"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,612,515/3181_Erick_Long.rev.1518214003.jpg" alt="Erick Long" title="Erick Long" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="612" data-max-h="515"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1751-erick-long"><p> Erick Long is a vice president for the Academy of Country Music in Los Angeles.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Erick Long joined the Academy of Country Music in 2009 after many years in the events industry. He currently manages Operations & Events at the Academy including several components of the Academy of Country Music Awards, ACM Party for a Cause Festival as well as ACM Honors. Long oversees the general operations of the ACM, event production, red carpet, talent logistics, sponsor fulfillment, catering, board meetings, security, transportation, the All-Star Jam (official after party), IT, as well as the internship and volunteer programs.</p><p> Prior to joining the Academy, Long spent more than six years in special events at Universal Studios Hollywood where he managed large-scale events including the MTV Movie Awards After Party, the Tahitian Noni International Conference, Lance Armstrong’s Tour of Hope, and New Year’s Eve events, among others. Before Universal, Long spent more than 10 years in event production and operations with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Pallotta TeamWorks - Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, Up with People as well as independent contracts with the Grammys, Latin Grammys, and the Inland Valley Humane Society. A Tennessee native, Long graduated from Emory & Henry College in Virginia. He has lived in Los Angeles since 2000.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1751-erick-long" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn" title="Abby Hathorn" aria-label="Abby Hathorn"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg" alt="Abby Hathorn" title="Abby Hathorn" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1472" data-max-h="2208"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn"><p> Abby Hathorn is a Social Media Influencer Specialist.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Spend five minutes with Abby Hathorn and you will find yourself completely captivated by the world of sunscreen. “There’s a lot more to sunscreen than people realize…and more than even I realized before I took this job!”</p><p> Abby is the Social Media Influencer Specialist for Crown Laboratories, and works primarily with Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen and PanOxyl. “I work hands-on with influencers on social media and bloggers to create campaigns focused around a specific brand or product. I build and manage these campaigns by strategically recruiting professional bloggers and content writers with traits and engagement statistics that match brand standards and consumer profiles. The goal of these campaigns is to enhance Internet and social-media chatter about a specific product (or products) while also generating revenue growth–often from new demographics.”</p><p> She also gets to  create the graphic design and content-work associated with influencer campaigns – items like the fliers, personalized coupon templates, package inserts, and informational “E-Packets.” “E-Packets are my unique way of ensuring that  partners and ambassadors have the information and checklists needed to properly execute clearly written content and sharp photos that the consumer brands can promote and re-use in social media posts and inbound marketing promotions.”</p><p> Abby isn’t only about marketing and social media: she is intensely well-versed about the product line she’s been hired to promote – and can weave a great description of Blue Lizard’s Australian roots and their commitment to ingredients that won’t do damage to humans or the coral reef.</p><p> The Mass Communications graduate is grateful to former profs like Dr. Teresa Keller, Dr. Mark Finney, and Brent Treash and says her breadth of experience in college has given her flexibility for the work she’s doing now. “Because the Mass Communications program isn’t focused on just one skill set, I was able to learn about marketing before I realized that was the world I would be entering. I was very broadcasting/television focused at E&H as a student; however, I was able to change and adapt after college because I had had classes in social media, marketing and graphic design on top of participating in EHCTV, WEHC 90.7, and electronic media courses.”</p><p> Now she’s learning literally every facet of the work done by her employer and the elements needed to make their products successful. She is writing, blogging, photographing, emailing, and doing a lot of communicating….talking to customers, talking with other marketing partners, talking to people all over the United States. “Being a Mass Communications graduate, it’s obvious I love, love love to communicate!”</p><p> “Overall, this job is teaching me to appreciate every step and every person involved in a company–big or small. From marketing to the lab to the warehouse, every job is important. The marketing staffers recently got recruited to to add neck-tie labels to about 6,000 tubes of sunscreen! Sometimes duty calls: we are a small and growing team, so there has to be willingness to adapt to what’s needed to be done.”</p><p>  </p><p> Abby is another E&H grad who has completed her college days with self-confidence and a unique set of skills. “Emory & Henry College prepared me in so many ways. I was able to soar outside of the walls of Emory & Henry–which I think is every senior’s deathly fear after being involved in such a close-knit community for years.”</p><p>  </p><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><img width="1000" height="370" alt="Abby Hathorn and a coworker doing photography for Blue Lizard Sunscreen promotions." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/height/370/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image6070 lw_align_left lw_column_width_full" data-max-w="851" data-max-h="315"/><span class="lw_image_caption lw_column_width_full lw_align_left" style="width: 1000px">Abby Hathorn and a coworker doing photography for Blue Lizard Sunscreen promotions.</span></a></p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/705-" title="John Honeycutt" aria-label="John Honeycutt"><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/355_cb05c7c2dda509f77c32d255409bb14f_f3246.rev.1500387149.jpg" alt="John Honeycutt" title="John Honeycutt" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/355_cb05c7c2dda509f77c32d255409bb14f_f3246.rev.1500387149.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/705-"><p> John Honeycutt: Successful Attorney </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> John Honeycutt said his experiences as a student at Emory & Henry reached far beyond the four walls and whiteboard, making a positive impact in his life a decade later.</p><p> As an attorney in Abingdon, Va., Honeycutt believes his college experience opened the door for his eventual profession.</p><p> “Becoming an attorney was not a driving force for me during college, but I enjoyed the legal classes I took through the political science department and eventually decided the study of law was more than a passing interest for me,” he said.</p><p> Honeycutt credits many members of the College community, including political science professor <a class="soft-link" title="View Dr. Joe Lane's profile page" href="http://www.ehc.edu/profile/view/822/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Joe Lane</a>, for building his confidence.</p><blockquote><a class="soft-link" title="View Dr. Joe Lane's profile page" href="http://www.ehc.edu/profile/view/822/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Lane</a> helped me become a big fish in a small pond, but at the same time, he made sure I knew there were lakes and oceans out there. When I got to the ‘lakes’ and ‘oceans,’ I wasn’t shocked by the fact that smart, capable people are everywhere. Instead, I knew I was one of them and found my own place.<a title="Learn more about this outstanding Emory and Henry College alum" href="http://www.pennstuart.com/attorneys/jhoneycutt.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">John Honeycutt</a><br/> Attorney</blockquote><h2> A Successful Struggle</h2><p> As is typical for many college students, Honeycutt struggled early on to find the right academic path. “I come from a family of ministers, and I initially took a lot of religion courses with <a class="soft-link" title="View Dr. Joseph Reiff's profile page" href="http://www.ehc.edu/profile/view/888/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr. Reiff</a> and Dr. Kellogg,” he said. “I was close to going down the path of religion for my major and profession, but I was never quite as comfortable and confident with religion as I am with the law.  It’s funny how things work out.  I really appreciate what Joe Reiff and Fred Kellogg taught me. What I learned from them was a vital part of my E&H experience.”</p><p> Following graduation from E&H, Honeycutt earned a Masters of Public Administration at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before attending the College of Law at University of Tennessee. For the past four years, he has practiced employment law at Penn, Stuart & Eskridge in Abingdon, primarily representing employers in workers’ compensation claims filed by their employees. He also represents employers in federal employment discrimination law suits.</p><p> “E&H challenged and grew my capacity to work hard,” said Honeycutt. “When I was in graduate school and law school, I drew on the experience of classes I took from Dr. Lane, Dr. Kathleen Chamberlain, and Dr. Joe Reiff to get me through. The papers, tests, and presentations for these classes made me realize I had to be better to be successful. Those challenges pushed my limits, and when I got to graduate school and law school, I was able to handle the difficulty when other students from less strenuous undergraduate institutions could not.”</p><p> Honeycutt said E&H helped him learn about work ethic and self-awareness. “Most any institution of higher education can teach students facts and figures, but E&H does better than most,” he said. “What sets E&H apart, however, is the unique environment in which it teaches students those facts and figures. To those students who engage the entire college community, E&H provides context better than any other institution of higher education I’ve seen.”</p><p> He added, “I also appreciate my experience at the College because it’s where I met some wonderful friends with whom I’m still close more than 10 years later. I also met my wife, Jenna, while we were students at E&H.  We have a precious little girl, Anna Claire.  We love her, and we’re so proud of her.”</p><div id="social-sharing-links" class="right clearfix"/></div><a href="/live/profiles/705-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>