Marshall Magazine Summer 2022

Marshall Rises campaign exceeds $150 million goal

Summer 2022

Entering his second season, Coach Charles Huff is embracing change with the birth of a new son, a new conference and a bevy of new players. HUFF ' S HERD

See page 41 for ALUMNI NEWS and more

M arshall

President Brad D. Smith Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing Ginny Painter Executive Editor Susan Tams Director of Communications Leah Payne Publisher

m a g a z i n e

T h e o f f i c i a l m a g a z i n e o f M a r s h a l l U n i v e r s i t y

Summer 2022

Contents

Jack Houvouras Office Manager Dana Keaton Art Director Suzanna Stephens Senior Graphic Designer Katie Sigler

4 CATCHING UP WITH THE PRESIDENT . 6 COVER STORY : Coach Huff embraces change including a new son, a new conference and new players by way of the NCAA transfer portal. 12 SPORTS : New Athletic Director Christian Spears is exactly who’s needed to fine-tune the school’s sports programs. 16 CYBERSECURITY : The Institute for Cyber Security addresses threats on the local, national and international level. 20 ARMY ROTC : For more than 70 years the Army ROTC program has opened a world of possibilities to Marshall students. 24 DINING SERVICES : Thanks to a progressive dining program, mealtime for Marshall students has never been better. 28 HEALTH CARE : The Minority Health Institute is working to reduce health disparities in the state of West Virginia . 32 MU FOUNDATION : The most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of the university soars past its $150 million goal. 36 INTERCULTURAL CENTER : MU’s Intercultural Center will provide a haven for students from all walks of life to come together and connect.

Contributing Photographers Rick Lee, Austin O’Connor Contributing Writers James E. Casto, Keith Morehouse, Lalena Price, Katherine Pyles, Shelly Ridgeway, Carter Seaton Editorial Advisory Board William “Tootie” Carter, Maurice Cooley, Larry Crum, Jeff O’Malley, Sheanna Spence, Susan Tams Marshall Magazine is distributed three times a year by: Marshall University One John Marshall Drive Huntington, WV 25755 ADVERTISERS’ CONTACT: HQ Publishing Co. P.O. Box 384 Huntington, WV 25708 304-529-6158 mail@marshallmagazine.com For subscription information contact: MU Office of Alumni Relations at 304-696-3134 Comments or suggestions should be addressed to: magazine@marshall.edu

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Green ever Y O U R A L U M N I C O N N E C T I O N

41 Letter from Mikala Shremshock, MUAA President 42 Alumni Awards Banquet & Scholarship Honor Brunch 48 Chapter Alumni Report

Designed & Published by:

50 Class Notes 51 In Memoriam 52 Letter From MUAA

HQ Publishing Co. P.O. Box 384 Huntington, W.Va. 304-529-6158 www.hqpublishing.com

on the cover

Head Football Coach Charles Huff is ready for his second season at Marshall, one that includes a new conference and a bevy of new players. Photo by Rick Lee.

© 2022 by Marshall University

p r e s i d e n t

Catching up with President Smith

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1. President Smith welcomed Appalachian Regional Commission Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin when she visited Marshall Jan. 19. 2. During his first 100 days in office, President Smith conducted a number of “listening sessions” for students, faculty and staff. This one was conducted for students, both virtually and in person. 3. Welcoming U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito when she visited the Bill Noe Flight School April 19 were Flight School Director and Chief Instructor Bryan Branham, President Smith and Assistant Flight School Director Nancy Ritter. 4. President Smith added his thanks to the scholarship donors who attended the Marshall University Foundation Inc.’s traditional Scholarship Brunch April 9.

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5. President Smith joined with other university officials in receiving a ceremonial check from the Dutch Miller Automotive Group for the new College of Business facility.

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c o v e r s t o r y

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In his second season with the Thundering Herd, Coach Charles Huff is embracing change including a new son, a new conference and new players by way of the NCAA transfer portal. HUFF ' S HERD

By Keith Morehouse Photos by Rick Lee & Austin O’Connor

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I t was the middle of March, and Coach Charles Huff was taking a well-timed break from poring over depth charts and scanning the NCAA transfer portal. He had to focus on his most important future prospect. This newcomer had measurables that any new parent could appreciate. Beau Barkley Huff was 21 ½ inches long and weighed 7.15 pounds when he was born on March 15, 2022. Huff’s wife, Jessica, and baby Beau were both healthy, and Dad couldn’t have been happier. “My wife timed it perfectly,” Huff said with a smile. “When we found out she was pregnant she asked me, ‘When’s spring ball, when’s spring break? I’ll handle the rest.’ Man, she’s a rock star!” With the family expanding, it means a busier schedule for everyone in the Huff household. Beau’s older brother B.J. juggles school and sports. Jessica runs the show at home and coaches girls’ basketball at St. Joseph Central Catholic High School. Dexterity seems to be her strong suit. “She’s been a coach and she knows how to manage,” Huff said of his wife’s ability to multitask. “She under stands the grind of it. We’re able to manage our time and pick our spots. We say all the time our normal is not everybody’s normal. We enjoy it and make the best of it.” Huff said the youngest member of the Thundering Herd will definitely come to know about the place where he was born. “It’s something that my family will always cherish — that one of our children was born in Huntington,” Huff said. “Huntington and Marshall exemplify what it means to be part of a family. This is a tight-knit community.” With Beau safe at home, Huff went back to work

Running back Rasheen Ali led the nation in touchdowns in 2021.

getting the Herd ready for spring ball. In the not-too distant future he and the Herd face road trips to Troy, Alabama; Harrisonburg, Virginia; and Statesboro, Georgia. Welcome, Marshall, to Sun Belt Conference football. “Those schools are a little bit ahead of us,” Huff ex

plained. “That doesn’t mean we don’t have an opportunity to compete and to win games. It’s just that our margin of error is smaller.” It’s Coach Huff’s second year at Marshall, and uppermost in his mind is improving on the Herd’s 7-6 record in 2021. He’s done some self reflection and big-picture analysis on last year, and he readily admits he learned a lot in his rookie year as a Division I head coach. “It’s not really that a play call on third down was the difference in a game last season,” Huff said. “It’s what didn’t we do well in the games we lost, and what did we do well in the games we won. You go back and look at the Middle Tennessee game, and it was taking care of the football. You go back and look at the ECU game, and it was being able to finish.” Huff’s coaching journey from schools like Maryland, Mississippi State, Penn State and Alabama taught him that great teams find a way

Wide receiver Corey Gammage hauled in 78 catches last seaon.

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Texas Tech transfer Henry Colombi arrives this summer from Lubbock and joins a group that includes Cam Fancher, Peter Zamora and Chase Harrison in a crowded quarterback derby. The assumption is that Colombi will earn the job. But Division I football coaches don’t hand the keys of the offense over to you just because you come from a Power Five conference. “Obviously, Henry’s got to come in, learn the system and be able to execute,” Huff said of his incoming transfer quarterback. “I think when you add competition to the room everybody’s performance level rises. So, Chase is going to get better, Pete’s going to get better, Cam’s going to get better, which will make us a better team.” Whoever takes the snaps has the luxury of handing the ball off to No. 22 out of the backfield. Keeping star running back Rasheen Ali at Marshall, and out of the transfer portal, may have been Coach Huff’s best recruiting job in the offseason. Last season Ali ran for 1,401 yards and led the nation in rushing touchdowns with 23. The first team All-Conference USA running back will now be joined in the backfield by talented Florida State transfer Khalan Laborn. “To be honest the sky’s the limit for us,” Laborn said after the spring game in which he ran for a 32-yard touchdown. “I feel like we can be really good if we put in the work.”

to win. His time at Alabama with Nick Saban — who has seven national championship trophies in his den — made a big impact on him. Saban isn’t given to making excuses, and neither is Huff. Ultimately, Marshall didn’t finish the year the way it wanted to. The Herd lost its final game 36-21 to new conference-mate Louisiana in the NewOrleans Bowl. That was despite a dominant effort by defensive end Owen Porter. The former Spring Valley star had six tackles, including four tackles for loss and half a sack. Dwelling on that result, though, is not part of Porter’s offseason thought process. “You just want a clean slate,” Porter said after the Green-White game. “You don’t want to harp on the past, because there are plenty of games that we can look back on and say we lost by a touchdown. We need to be focused on what we’re doing right now.” Coach Huff went right to work to improve the 2022 Herd, jumping headfirst into the transfer portal — a new NCAA rule implemented on Aug. 1, 2021, that allows college athletes to transfer to another school without having to sit out a year. “Either you adapt, or you die,” Huff said of the new rule. “No fan wants to hear about how young of a team we have, or how five years from now we’ll be really good. Everyone wants success now.” Marshall’s starting quarterback is still a question mark. “ I think when you add competition to the room everybody’s performance level rises … which will make us a better team .” — Head Football Coach Charles Huff

Defensive end Owen Porter is focused entering the 2022 season.

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Marshall needs to retool its offensive line after losing Alex Mollette andWill Ulmer. The receiving corps will be led by Corey Gammage (78 catches last season), Shadeed Ahmed, Jayden Harrison and Talik Keaton. It also adds another incoming FSU transfer in Bryan Robinson. TheHerd’s front seven on defense will be the strength on that side of the football. With Porter, Koby Cumberlander and three Power Five conference transfers coming in, the line should be solid. Eli Neal, Abraham Beauplan and Charlie Gray return at linebacker. The trio combined for 262 tackles last year. The secondary will need to replace some talented safeties, but McNeese State transfer Andre Sam could step right in, and Steven Gilmore comes back as a steady cover corner. Some pundits are high on the 2022 Thundering Herd. College Football News came out with a bold prediction that Marshall will win the Sun Belt Conference in its first sea son. That’s some pretty heady stuff. With a new baby at home, and a move to a new conference on the horizon, a good night’s rest may be tough to come by for Coach Huff. But college football coaches keep crazy hours any way. For Huff and his Herd, sleep might have to wait.

Defensive back Steven Gilmore will be a key cover corner in 2022.

Thundering Herd 2022 Football Schedule

Keith Morehouse is a freelance writer and the sports director for WSAZ NewsChannel 3 in Huntington.

SEP 3 vs Norfolk State

Huntington, WV

SEP 10 at Notre Dame

South Bend, IN

SEP 17 at Bowling Green Bowling Green, OH

SEP 24 at Troy

Troy, AL

OCT 1 vs Gardner-Webb

Huntington, WV

OCT 12 vs Louisiana

Huntington, WV

OCT 22 at James Madison Harrisonburg, VA

OCT 29 vs Coastal Carolina Huntington, WV (Homecoming)

NOV 5 at Old Dominion

Norfolk, VA

NOV 12 vs Appalachian State Huntington, WV

NOV 19 at Georgia Southern Statesboro, GA

NOV 26 vs Georgia State Huntington, WV

Eli Neal is part of a trio of linebackers who had 262 tackles in 2021.

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MARSHALL vs NOTRE DAME Sept. 10, 2022 | South Bend, Indiana

Tim DiPiero will utilize what ever transportation is neces sary to get to South Bend, Indiana, on Sept. 10 — plane, automobile, public transporta tion or even Uber if necessary. Why? Well, the Huntington native, Charleston attorney and Notre Dame graduate knows that on that day the Fighting

and produced seven Heisman Trophy winners. The Irish aura is all part of the home-field advantage. Marshall Coach Charles Huff has been to South Bend, but never to a game at Notre Dame Stadium. He knows full well it’s not just another regular Saturday road game. “After all the emo

go to college at Notre Dame, where he walked on to the basketball team. He’s seen plenty of football games at fabled Notre Dame Stadium and he’s still giddy over this matchup. How many people can hold close ties to two programs about which movies have been made? It’s

Irish are meeting the Thundering Herd for the first time ever on the gridiron. It’s a day many footbal l fans thought would never happen. “ M y n i e c e i s

tions and the pag eantry of playing at a place like Notre Dame, you ultimately have to come back to execut ing,” Huff said. Marshall’s players have a home opener the week before, but don’t think for a minute they haven’t peeked ahead at game two. “We look at every

gett ing marr ied in Washington, D.C., the day before the game,” DiPiero said. “My son and I are planning to fly out of Dulles Airport on Saturday morning. I’m so excited we’re going to make this happen.” Even though he is a Notre Dame a l umnus , DiPi ero also bleeds green. Growing up in Huntington, he was a Thundering Herd basketball fan and remembers watching Marshall Hall of Famers Hal Greer and Leo Byrd playing at Veterans Memorial Field House. But, as a senior in high school at St. Joseph Central Catholic High School, he also knew he wanted to

Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, seats 77,622 fans.

game as a challenge,” said of fensive lineman Logan Osburn. “It’s going to be their home opener with a brand-new head coach (Marcus Freeman). What better opportunity to go in there and give it our best? Obviously, it’s a big game for Marshall. We’ve already started watching film on them. We just can’t wait for the opportunity.” For DiPiero, it’s a matchup he’s waited a lifetime to see. No wonder he’ll be in a hurry to get to South Bend.

We Are Marshall versus Rudy, and DiPiero can’t wait. “ I ’ l l p r obab l y wea r a Marshall shirt and a Notre Dame hat,” he said. Notre Dame is much more than the home of the golden dome and Touchdown Jesus. It’s also home to Knute Rockne, the Four Horsemen, The Gipper and Joe Montana. Only four Division I schools have won more football games than the Fighting Irish. They’ve captured 11 national championships

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s p o r t s

“ Christian Spears is a transformational leader who exhibits a deep respect for tradition , combined with an ability to architect a vision to unleash potential .” — President Brad D. Smith AD New thletic Director Christian Spears has been described as a rock star, and that’s exactly what’s needed to fine-tune the school’s sports programs. By Keith Morehouse Photo by Rick Lee

The

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One of the main reasons Christian Spears accepted the position of athletic director at Marshall was his impression of the people he met. “I felt like the people here were different — every single person I’ve met is authentic and genuine,” he said. “They tell you exactly what they think.”

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E ven from an ear ly age, Marshall’s new Athletic Director Christian Spears knew he wanted a career in the sports world. He and his father were both avid fans of football, basketball, baseball, soccer, golf — you name it. It also didn’t hurt that his father was a graduate of UCLA and moved the family to Pasadena, California, when Christian was young. “As a kid I got to go to all the UCLA games in the Rose Bowl,” Spears recalled fondly. “I remem ber going to a couple of games there when Warren Moon (the future NFL Hall of Famer) was the quarterback at the University of Washington. Because my dad was such an avid Bruins fan, I started to root for the Huskies. At a young age I started to understand that I could tease my dad and my dad could tease me. We had a playful banter.” Spears’ love for Washington only grew. He not only pickedWashington as his favorite school but also even tually played football there, as a self professed “sixth-string tight end.” It was there that Spears met his wife, Julia; his mom told him it was a sign that he made the right call to root for the Huskies back in the day. The couple would go on to have three children: Rainer, Kai and Skyla. Spears graduated from the University of Washington in 1996 with a bach elor’s degree in political science, then earned a master’s degree in public administration from California State University Long Beach in 1998 and his juris doctor fromOhio State in 2002. Spears’ career in athletics adminis tration began at Long Beach State in 1996. From there he went on to serve in a variety of roles at such schools as Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Harvard and Eastern Michigan. He was instrumental in helping Eastern Michigan produce record-breaking

fundraising results, including the high est number of donors and most cash received in program history. For the last five years Spears was the deputy athletic director at the University of Pittsburgh, where he focused on marketing and branding, media rela tions, fundraising, ticket operations, licensing, merchandising, game pre sentation, broadcast services and multimedia rights. He took over the Thundering Herd’s 16-sport, $30 mil lion athletics program on March 14. “Christian Spears is a transforma tional leader who exhibits a deep re spect for tradition, combined with an ability to architect a vision to unleash potential,” said Marshall President Brad D. Smith. “I look forward to working with him to usher in the next chapter of greatness for athletics at our university.” Spears said his reason for making the move to Marshall was simple: the people. “I said no to opportunities over the last eight years, and then this job opened up,” Spears said. “The reason I jumped on it was because I felt like the people here were differ ent — every single person I’ve met is authentic and genuine. They tell you “ I think the guy’s a rock star . I think he is where college athletics is going with his vision .” — Head Football Coach Charles Huff

exactly what they think. They’re not afraid to say it out loud.” Spears has been in perpetual motion mode since his first trip to Marshall’s Huntington cam pus. It’s not as if he arrived at the dinner party with the meals already prepared and the table set in perfect order. There are many challenges to confront. Marshall is changing confer ences in July from Conference USA to the Sun Belt. There’s that decades-long promise of a baseball stadium that’s not yet been built. That stadium is at, or near the top of, his to-do list. He met with stadium architects his first week on the job. “There’s an opportunity to only miss two baseball seasons if we do this the right way,” Spears said. “I don’t want to miss more than three. I told President Smith, ‘Let’s not have another groundbreaking, let’s have a ribbon-cutting.’” His enthusiasm is infectious. He can command a room and engage a crowd in the same moment. He answers questions in a firm, frank manner. He has high expectations for the various sports at Marshall and for the coaches who run them. “I’m not afraid or shy of telling Coach Huff, ‘Hey, let’s be the first team out of the Sun Belt to get into an expanded college football playoff. Let’s make that our goal, Coach.’” To reach such lofty goals, Spears knows that he and the administration must provide the necessary tools to help all Marshall coaches upgrade their respective programs. “I think the guy’s a rock star, I re ally do,” said Head Football Coach Charles Huff about his new boss. “I think he is where college athletics is going with his vision. I told him about some of the things we need for the football program, and he al ready had them on his to-do list. It’s

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a good feeling when the higher-ups recognize some of the same issues that are needed to make huge steps in the program.” Spears had other pressing matters facing him his first few weeks on the job. Marshall’s basketball team fin ished 12-21 in the 2021-22 season. He and Head Coach Dan D’Antoni met to discuss and agree upon a series of one-year contracts beginning this upcoming season. “I want to develop a relationship with Coach D’Antoni,” Spears said. “I will challenge the status quo, and I think he wants that to happen as well.” Spears said he also wants to visit and take a critical look at all of Marshall’s athletic facilities. He’s already broached the idea of replac ing the seats in the south end zone of Edwards Stadium with a party deck. At Pitt last year he quickly learned that in these days of 60-inch televi sions, YouTube and cell phones, you

better put on a good show to get fans in the stands. “The football team at Pitt won 11 games last year; and even though we sold 55,000 tickets per game, there were times when 20,000 people didn’t show up,” Spears said. “That concerns me. There’s something going on with the game-day atmosphere that needs to improve. We need to make our fans feel like they are missing out on a great experience if they’re not in the stadium.” In chasing his dream of becoming an athletic director, Spears has come all the way from Puget Sound to the Ohio River. Huntington is not Seattle, and Joan C. Edwards Stadium isn’t Husky Stadium — but that’s why he is where he is. A change of scenery has served him well.

Keith Morehouse is a freelance writer and the sports director at WSAZ.

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c y b e r s e c u r i t y

COMBATING CYBERTHREATS

The Institute for Cyber Security addresses threats on the local, national and international level.

The Marshall University Institute for Cyber Security was formed in October 2021. Faculty and staff include, from left, Dr. Paulus Wahjudi; Bill Gardner; John Sammons, Cyber Forensics and Security chair; Dr. Husnu Narman, associate director; Josh Brunty; and Dr. David Dampier, director.

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I f you talk to the experts at the newly formed Marshall University Institute for Cyber Security, you’ll quickly learn that cybersecurity is more than a buzzword. It’s a critical issue that affects everyone in the world. “Cybersecurity isn’t just a technology problem,” said John Sammons, chair of Marshall’s Department of Cyber Forensics and Security and director of the Cyber Forensics and Security graduate program. “It’s a business problem and a political problem. It’s a public health problem and a national security problem. Technology has permeated every aspect of society — everything frommedical care to banking, from buying a hamburger to getting gas. We are totally dependent on it, which makes us extremely vulnerable. We see this problem playing out on the news nearly every evening.” In October 2021, the Marshall University Institute for Cyber Security was created to address these concerns, bringing together hardware and software engineers, forensic scientists, cybersecurity practitioners and policy experts to take on emerging cyberthreats on the local, national and even international level. The academic component of the ICS combines four degree programs and two colleges, the College of Science and the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences, with support from the College of Business and others. It’s already making an impact, said ICS Director Dr. David Dampier. The ICS has partnered with multiple govern ment agencies and nonprofits, including OperationUnderground Railroad, which fights child sex trafficking in the U.S. and abroad; the West Virginia Intelligence

The Institute for Cyber Security’s academic programs are very practitioner focused, with as much hands-on, skills-based experience as possible. Among other external agencies, the institute provides assistance to the West Virginia State Police’s southern digital forensics lab. Above: Jacob Hewitt, a graduate student, works under the direction of Josh Brunty. Below: Students log lots of computer time in their studies. From left are Jacob Hewitt; Alisha Joseph; Bill Gardner; Brittany Belcher, project manager; and John McFee, graduate student.

By Katherine Pyles Photos by Rick Lee

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“ Universities have a key role to play in cybersecurity , not only by providing graduates to address the workforce shortage but also by conducting research .”

literally and figuratively. “In the past, our cy bersecurity research was managed in multiple colleges by multiple de partments. The Institute for Cyber Security pro vides a mechanism for those colleges and de partments to work to gether,” said Dampier, who is also dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences. “We’re going to see a sig nificant increase in the amount of research we’re able to do. We’re going to be able to take on much bigger projects.” The ICS has begun partnerships with West Virginia University, West

Fusion Center, an anti terrorism agency; the Department of Defense; and the Department of Homeland Secur i ty. In March, the ICS an nounced a partnership with the West Virginia National Guard and cy bersecurity firm Forge Security to provide “live fire” cyber range training exercises for members of the National Guard. The ICS also provides assis tance to theWest Virginia State Police’s southern digital forensics lab. Dampier said while many of Marshall’s cy bersecurity initiatives were in place before the institute was established,

— Chair John Sammons Department of Cyber Forensics and Security

Virginia State University and Mountwest Community & Technical College, sharing capabilities and resources to have a greater impact in the cybersecurity realm. Dampier said partnerships with other universities are also in the works.

what the ICS offers is a truly collaborative approach to these increasingly complex issues. Housed in the Weisberg Applied Engineering Complex, the ICS brings all of the university’s cybersecurity programs under one roof, both

Cybersafety Tips

Cybersafety comes down to self-preservation and common sense, said ICS Director Dr. David Dampier. “I liken it to walking in a dark alley at two in the morning,” Dampier said. “If someone comes up to you, it’s probably for a nefarious purpose. It’s the same online: if someone contacts you asking for information, you have to think about that from a victim’s perspective. My rule of thumb is this: If you contact me, I’m not giving you anything.” For example, he said, if you get an e-mail from your bank with a link to log into your account, don’t click the link. Go to your bank’s website and log in that way. He added that if you or your business fall victim to a ransomware attack, don’t pay the ransom. Protecting your data from ransomware requires a proactive approach, not a reactive one. “Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common,” he said. “When you pay ransomware attackers, there’s nothing stopping them from doing it to someone else — or to you again — in the future. The best thing you can do is back up your data proactively so that if a ransomware attack does happen, you’re protected.”

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For students, the ICS provides a fully integrated curricu lum, with elective courses frommultiple departments that will enrich their chosen field of study as well as hands-on experience that will make them workforce ready. “Part of the ICS’s mission is to address the massive workforce shortage and skills gap in the cyber domain,” Sammons said. “Our academic programs are very practi tioner focused, with as much hands-on, skills-based experi ence as possible.” The institute is made up of five components: academics, research, external relations, training programs and public outreach. While academics and research are the seminal work of the institute, the other three areas will become increasingly important as the ICS continues to grow and recruit personnel. Plans include educational programs for area schools, training for law enforcement and cybersafety seminars for local businesses. “It’s not just large corporations that are being targeted and breached,” Sammons said. “Local mom-and-pops are also breached at an alarming rate.” Sammons said as cyberthreats become of greater and greater concern, universities play a vital role. He credited

Dr. Mike Little, former chair of the past Department of Integrated Science and Technology; Dr. Charles Somerville, dean of the College of Science; and Dr. Terry Fenger, founder and former director of the university’s graduate forensic science program for paving the way for Marshall’s leadership in the cyber arena. Sammons said their vision and support were invaluable to the university’s success to date. “Universities have a key role to play in cybersecurity, not only by providing graduates to address the workforce shortage but also by conducting research, developing new technologies and working toward a better understand ing of the science behind cybercrimes,” Sammons said. “Cybersecurity is truly an ‘all hands on deck’ situation, and there are roles and responsibilities at all levels. This includes the individual user, government at all levels, law enforcement, private companies and the military and in telligence communities. The problem is simply too big for any single entity to solve alone.”

Katherine Pyles is a freelance writer and editor living in Huntington, West Virginia.

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a r m y r o t c

For more than 70 years the Army ROTC program has molded future leaders and opened a world of possibilities to students.

Possibilities

By Lalena Price

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T he year was 1951, and Marshall University was still Marshall College. That’s when the school was selected by the Department of the Army to partici pate in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. The original offices were housed in the OldMain Annex but a decade later were moved to the present location in Gullickson Hall. For more than seven decades the programhas helped hardworking students pay for their education and has produced a number of successful leaders in the United States military. Today, there are 30 cadets in Marshall’s ROTC program, which boasts a refreshed space in Gullickson Hall. “They come to ROTC because they want to be leaders,” said Lt. Col. Bret M. Bemis, professor of military science. “They learn to lead when in charge and follow when they aren’t.” Bemis said he marvels at the di versity of backgrounds and majors of the students in ROTC. These young men and women carry impressive academic and extracurricular loads such as molecular biology, criminal justice and cybersecurity, which is trending among cadets. Student athletes participate, too. “We have a football player on scholarship and a soccer player who is headed toWest Point,” Bemis noted. Kelli Brewer, recruiting opera tions officer at Marshall, explained that today’s Army is not just what you see on television or in movies. “It’s an actual career, and you can still have a life and still have fun,” Brewer said. “It’s not just infantries and guns a-blazing. In fact, 80% of the people in the military fill a sup port role. Small-statured females have a place in the military as do liberal arts and science majors, doctors, lawyers and engineers.” Retired United States Army Lt. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield earned his

commission fromMarshall University in 1982 and largely credits his ROTC foundation for his success in life, which now includes a career with the Boeing Company as vice president for Army systems — defense, space and security government operations. “I didn’t sign up thinking I’d try to be a three-star general,” Crutchfield said. “I signed up because college was taking a heavy financial toll on my parents. One day I was walking from Smith Hall to Twin Towers when I saw tables set up in the big field. Out of curiosity, I walked up to the one with the men in uniform. I signed up for a three-year scholarship. I had nothing to lose.” Crutchfield entered the ROTC programwhere he found an extension of his father’s discipline and work ethic and his mother’s compassion. “I still tuck the loops of shoe strings into my boots,” Crutchfield said. “I fondly remember all my instructors. They really cared about us and put us on a path to success. When you have superior mentorship and leadership to look up to, how can you not be successful?”

His path meant 35 years in the Army that culminated in a three star rank. “A three-star rank is like getting struck by lightning,” Crutchfield said. “I’m very proud of my rank. It’s rare but possible.” Possibility. That’s something he believes ROTC students at Marshall will tap into when they enter the program and earn their commission. It has worked for him and several other high-ranking Army officers, including two three-star generals, major generals and brigadier generals. “This program can transformpeo ple and open up a world to them that they might otherwise not get to expe rience,” Crutchfield said. “I’ve lived all around the world — Germany, Japan, Korea and 22 countries in Asia. I would never have been able to do that for myself and my family without the Army.” Crutchfield remains connected to Marshall by serving on a few of its boards, and when he returns to speak to ROTC cadets, his advice is this: “Work hard. Be kind and show compassion. Help people.

PHOTO BY RICK LEE

Maj. Danny Thornhill (left) and Lt. Col. Bret Bemis are not only military officers but also faculty members in military science at Marshall.

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Stepp said her college expe rience before and after joining ROTC is like night and day. “Most people in ROTC de scribe me as bubbly and talk ative, but I was extremely shy before I joined,” Stepp recalled. “It’s changed my personal life and career trajectory because it helped me become so much more confident in myself as a person and a leader.” Corey Littreal, PFC Army National Guard, is a freshman biology major from Fayetteville, West Virginia. He was encour aged by an uncle to consider ROTC when he was just in middle school. Just one year into the program, Littreal says ROTC’s emphasis on integrity is a real driver for him. “Integrity, doing the right thing even when no one is watching, is not easy but it distinguishes the good from the great,” Littreal said. An ROTC scholarship lifted a financial burden from Littreal, sav ing him from seeking financial aid. It’s also eased that freshman-year awkwardness. “It’s been a great way to get out of my room and meet people, including a brigadier general who came to campus to speak,” he said. Littreal aspires to eventually ap ply for the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, a two-year pro gram in the Army to become a physician assistant. Because of the pandemic, recruit ing for ROTC has been a challenge. As such, Brewer said she focuses on being flexible and making adjust ments for students. “Before I try to sell anything, I want to knowwhat the student wants out of it. It’s a very personalized approach,” said Brewer, explain ing that she likes to sit down with students and parents in Gullickson

“ This program can transform people and open up a world to them that they might otherwise not get to experience .”

— Ret. Lt. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield U.S. Army

Lt. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield, a former ROTC participant at Marshall, received the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Hall while she details everything on a white board. The ROTC program recently received a $30,000 grant from Enterprise through the Marshall University Foundation for a long overdue refresh of their offices. “Now we have a place we can be proud of to meet with students and parents,” said Brewer, who has been with the program for 17 years. “I’ve met so many alumni through the years who give back.” So, Brewer wasn’t surprised to learn that one of them, a retired three-star general, is on standby to help her recruit. “The job market is so competitive right now, and we can’t expect stu dents to stumble across a table like I did,” Crutchfield said. “Recruiting is a challenge nationwide, but I love the potential I see at Marshall. The people in the Huntington region have such a great propensity to serve their country.”

Respect each other’s opinions even if you disagree.” Cadet Beth Stepp of Ripley, West Virginia, was commissioned as an Aviation 2nd Lieutenant on April 29, 2022, and graduated with an M.S. in biology the next day. This summer she will head to Fort Rucker, Alabama, for her Basic Officer Leadership Course and flight school. She described the ROTC program as a “crash course in leadership.” Stepp saw the program as a way to grow as a person and serve her country. “ROTC emphasizes teamwork. Iron sharpens iron, and I’ve had the privilege of studying with some extremely sharp cadets who have helped me immensely,” Stepp said. “We’ve been through a lot together, like cleaning weapons from 06:00 14:00, jumping into the pool from the high dive while blindfolded and holding a fake rifle, and shoot ing at each other with paintballs in the middle of the night. I’ve loved watching new cadets join, seeing their potential from the start and watch ing them grow to become incredibly strong leaders.”

Lalena Price is a freelance writer living in Kenna, West Virginia.

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d i n i n g s e r v i c e s

Feeding the Herd Thanks to a progressive and award-winning dining program, mealtime for Marshall students has never been better.

By Lalena Price Photos by Rick Lee

T he dining experience on Marshall University’s Huntington campus is likely to be unrecognizable to all but its most recent graduates. Today’s students expect high-quality food with customizable options. They want to choose, and they don’t mind waiting. “There’s no herding them through a line,” said Mark Arnold, general manager of Marshall Dining by Sodexo. “Look, Burger King has been telling us to have it ‘our way’ for 30 years. That wasn’t always the case in residential din ing, but we’re looking at it differently now.” Marshall Dining by Sodexo powers all of the dining op tions on campus, offering 12 locations with an impressive variety of fare, from fast food to local favorites, in spaces ranging from large dining halls to quaint coffee shops. Their teammembers do it with concern for sustainability, recruitment, retention and continual improvement. They’re committed to listening to the students they serve through surveys and social media platforms such as @marshalldining. “At the end of the day, people want to be heard,” Arnold said. “And we’re listening.”

A state-of-the art facility, Harless Dining Hall is filled with natural light and offers seating for 340.

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Mark Arnold is the general manager of Marshall Dining by Sodexo.

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When students seek comfort food, they can head over to Harless Dining Hall. If they crave a diner vibe, they can walk over to Twin Towers and hit The Den by Denny’s or Mein Bowl Asian Market, or grab something to go from the 1837 Fresh Food Market. And, if nothing satisfies like Italian fare, local favorite La Famiglia is located in the Memorial Student Center along with popular on-the go options like Steak ‘n Shake, Chick-fil-A, Huntington Market and an expanded Starbucks for the perfect cup of coffee. Upstairs, the John Marshall Dining Room is the place for a midday buffet. Bonus: you can reserve a table. Drinko Coffee Shop gives yet another place to caffein ate and grab a snack, soup, sandwich or even a freshly prepared hot dog. “There are certainly a lot of dining options for a uni versity Marshall’s size,” Arnold said. “It’s a great mix of national and local brands.” Alas, as much as students praise that kind of variety, they are creatures of habit. Chef Josie Wallace said most students gravitate toward what they love, and these days that includes hamburgers, pizza and quesadillas, as well as her chicken alfredo and pickle-fried chicken.

“They love when we have breakfast for dinner, too,” Wallace said. She and her team stay busy at Harless, cooking more than 800 hamburgers and 2,000 pizzas every week. Also in high demand is the chicken sandwich. Whether it’s Harless, The Den or Chick-fil-A, her team is on track to serve 150,000 of those crowd pleasers this year. “And should the students ever get tired of chicken sand wiches, then we are ready to adapt,” said Kevin Madson, Marshall Dining operations manager. “We crave feedback. We engage on social media, meet biweekly with a student advisory board and hire interns in marketing. Our team will huddle, plan and adapt. If the students want Swiss cheese added to the options at Harless Dining Hall, it’s no problem. We just tell them, ‘Sure, check back tomorrow.’” But change isn’t always that easy. Recently, the team got a little help from the iCenter at the Lewis College of Business to solve a problem — students found it chal lenging to select the perfect-sized meal plan. They didn’t want to waste food, but they didn’t want to run out of meals either. Working with the iCenter, they designed a process called the “meal plan picker” that asks lifestyle and scheduling questions to help students decide what plan

There are 12 dining locations on the Huntington campus, from large dining halls to quaint coffee shops, offering everything from fast food to local favorites. Marco’s Deli is part of the 1837 Fresh Food Market located within Tower’s Marketplace.

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“ There are certainly a lot of dining options for a university Marshall ’ s size . It ’ s a great mix of national and local brands .”

is best for them. iCen ter director Dr. Ben Eng helped facilitate the pro cess. “We experimented with several versions and improved each until stu dents loved it,” Eng said. “The meal plan picker will launch in the fall.” M a r s h a l l i s n ’ t Hogwarts. Food doesn’t just appear on tables. It takes a special recipe of full- and part-time em ployees to make culinary magic. Sodexo USA has been a contractor for the university for 34 years. It handles all campus food

the team had received gold status — not an easy feat considering the com plexities of the Simple Servings program to keep students safe. “That’s unheard of,” Arnold said. Next up, they will apply to be rec ognized by FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education Corp.), the go-to resource for families navigating food allergies. Food s e r v i c e a t Mar sha l l ’s level can leave an enormous en vironmental footprint. The teamworks with the

— General Manager Mark Arnold Marshall Dining by Sodexo

service and employs 150 people — one-quarter of them are students. Beyond daily meal service, those employees do all the big events like Week of Welcome picnics, athlet ics concessions and catering for meetings, banquets and conferences. Although that sounds like a lot of cooks in the kitchen, everyone has a specific mission, such as strategizing how to make it through a global pandemic while safely serving students. Shortly after a $5 million renovation of the Memorial Student Center that created refreshed space for on-the go options, the global pandemic struck. Yet food service to students never faltered, even during the lockdown. A rudimentary online ordering system served those remain ing on campus. As the pandemic evolved and students returned, the system got a little flashier, and despite out side forces like supply chain and labor issues, the team remained committed to variety and safety. “We never reduced quality,” Madson asserted. Feeding the Herd well is one thing. Keeping mealtime safe for those with food sensitivities and life-threatening allergies is another. Arnold personally meets with those students. They learn about Simple Servings, a special food station in Harless Dining Hall that offers options prepared without eight of the top-known food allergens. Marshall Dining’s efforts in this area have not gone un noticed. Last fall Marshall was awarded bronze status by Sodexo’s internal auditing team. By the spring of 2022,

Marshall Sustainability Department to promote initiatives like trayless dining to save water, energy and waste, and the “skip the straw” campaign to reduce single-use plastic. The university also has partnerships with local farmers for food and composting. Coming soon, Marshall’s waste digester will turn all pre- and post-consumer food waste into compost, eliminating tons of garbage and materials from going to a landfill. Sustainability is also about communities. During the pandemic, unused food nearing expiration was donated to the Huntington Fire Department. During normal busi ness, excess catered food is wrapped, frozen and picked up by volunteers for those facing food insecurity. Leftovers are appreciated by families at the Huntington Ronald McDonald House. Recently, Marshall was awarded a $1,000 grant from Sodexo for its food pantry. “That’s one of the things that makes Marshall special,” said Arnold, who has been at the university for roughly a year. “Whether you work here, are a student here or are a Huntington resident, you just feel like part of this larger community. It’s amazing. It just makes you want to do more good deeds.”

Lalena Price is a freelance writer living in Kenna, West Virginia. She earned her B.A. in journalism and her Executive M.B.A. from Marshall University.

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h e a l t h c a r e

Institute Minority Health The Marshall MHI works to reduce health disparities for the underserved in West Virginia.

By Shelly Ridgeway

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PHOTO BY RICK LEE

The MHI staff work to improve and protect the health and well-being of racial and ethnic minorities. From left are Vanessa Alagah, health education specialist; Dr. Anthony Woart, founder and director; LaDawna E. Walker-Dean, minority health coordinator; and Jonathan Lung, program staff member. Born and raised in the West African nation of Liberia, Woart earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Liberia’s College of Agriculture and Forestry. He then came to the United States to attend Jackson State University in

W hen Dr. AnthonyWoart founded the Minority Health Institute (MHI) while a sociology professor at Bluefield State College in the early 2000s, he had one goal in mind: understand the extent of health

disparities in West Virginia, par ticularly the rate of breast cancer among African American women compared to their white counter parts. He would spend 20 years at Bluefield State College before join ing Marshall University.

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“ For me , the most important aspect of the job is to help be the voice of the minorities and underserved populations in West Virginia .”

Mississippi, where he earned two master’s degrees in business ad ministration and sociology. After that, he enrolled in a doctoral pro gram at Boston University, where he earned a Ph.D., specializing in medical sociology with a subspecialty in complex organizations. Today, as professor and chair of Marshall’s Department of Public Health in the College of Health Professions, Woart continues the work he launched with the MHI two decades ago. It began with a 2003 research project to examine the demographics of students who attended Bluefield State, a histori cally Black college. As a result of the project, Woart uncovered star tling facts that set him on a course of health-equity discovery in the Mountain State. “I learned that not only was the rate of breast cancer among African American women disproportionately higher compared to their white counterparts in West Virginia, but they also received a late diagnosis,” Woart recalled. For his research, he considered specific social determinants such as age, household income, frequency of mammograms and breast self exams and family history of breast cancer, to name a few. After shar ing his findings with the National Institutes of Health, he secured a $1 million grant to further his research for a second year. In 2018 he was named chair of the Department of Public Health in the College of Health Professions at Marshall. In Huntington Woart found a new home to align the work

education projects over the past four years, including COVID-19 vaccina tion education awareness projects. As an African American woman and Huntington native, the mission of the MHI is very personal to her. “It is especially important to achieve health equity and reduce the burdens of health disparities among the minority and under served populations, as well as to strengthen and improve access to health care through education, re source development, research and community partnerships,” Walker Dean noted. Although the MHI is funded entirely through various grants, it also collaborates with government entities, policymakers, health care providers and other supporters through partnerships, including the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health, UNICARE Health Plan of West Virginia and the Cabell Huntington Health Department. All of these entities work together to raise funds to support work at the institute. As one of the poorest states in the country, West Virginia has a median household income of $46,000. This affects a family’s economic stability and undoubtedly impacts the overall health of those who are most vulner able. In every category representing the most common chronic diseases among West Virginians — heart dis ease, diabetes and hypertension — African Americans are dispropor tionately impacted. “Although the total population of African Americans stands at 3.6%

— LaDawna Walker-Dean West Virginia Minority Health Initiative

being done at the MHI with both public health and academics. The mission of the collaborative effort is to address health disparities and health equity amongWest Virginia’s minor ity and underserved populations. The staff for the MHI currently occupies four office spaces within the university’s Department of Public Health. An integral part of Woart’s team is LaDawna Walker-Dean, coordinator for the West Virginia Minority Health Initiative. She has been involved in several health ad vocacy initiatives and community

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