Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2011

10/17/11

Click on Homecoming to view a photo slideshow of all of the events

More than 1,000 alumni and their families returned “home” to an action-packed Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, held October 13– 16, 2011. They were able to reconnect with their former classmates and friends, honor each other’s accomplishments, cheer on the Yellow Jackets and celebrate 40 years of coeducation at Randolph-Macon College.

Homecoming Awards Luncheon

On Friday, October 14, the annual Homecoming Awards Luncheon was held in the Alumni Gymnasium. Guest speaker and R-MC Board of Trustees member Haywood “HAP” Payne Jr. ’68, retired president of Chevron Business and Real Estate Services, presented “Rising to the Extraordinary” to an audience of faculty, staff and alumni. The Society of Alumni presented the Alumni Distinguished Service Award to Payne and to Pat Hanback ’75, one of the first women to graduate from Randolph-Macon. Hanback, Virginia Regional Manager, RBC Centura Bank, Commercial Real Estate Group, has volunteered years of dedicated service to R-MC; most notably, she served on the Board of Trustees and was the first female Society of Alumni president.

In addition, the Society of Alumni presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award to Wesley Nichols ’86, Managing Partner, Market Share Partners of Los Angeles, CA, and the Yellow Jacket Salute was awarded to the 90s Decade Committee for performance of an act of service in the furtherance of the mission of the college. 90s Committee Chair Graham Rashkind ’96 and Vice-chair Ainslie Rose ’96 accepted the award.

The Noë-Kilgore Award was also presented during the luncheon. This award is given each year to a retired faculty member in recognition of an outstanding teaching career and service to Randolph-Macon College. This year’s honoree was Biology Professor Emeritus Arthur “Art” Conway. During his 30-year career at R-MC, Conway was a three-time recipient of the Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching, received the Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor award in 1994, and was elected as a fellow of the Virginia Academy of Science in 2004. In 2001, he was selected as director of the R-MC Honors program, which he led until his retirement in 2009. Conway’s rapport with students both in the classroom and as a research mentor was excellent, and he inspired creativity and outstanding scholarship. Conway is the author of numerous publications, including 90 abstracts that were co-authored with students.

Several alumni presentations were scheduled throughout the day to include “Digitally Speaking,” presented by Duane Berger of Duane Berger Photography in Ashland, Virginia. Berger offered tips on editing, formatting, printing and how to avoid common mistakes in photography. Alumni in attendance were encouraged to bring their digital cameras.

R-MC’s Political Science Department hosted a panel discussion, “40 Years of Politics in Virginia and the U.S.,” in Fox Hall 107. Panel members Robert Lambeth ’71, president, Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, and Robert Rankin ’71, politics and economics editor, McClatchy News, are co-chairs of the Class of 1971 40th Reunion Committee, and both majored in political science. Political Science Major John Endean ’12 served as moderator for the discussion, and a reception followed the event. Click on panel discussion to view photos from the event.

A.G. Ingram Professorship in English

On Friday at 4:00, in McGraw-Page Library, Professor Thomas Peyser was named The A.G. Ingram Professor in English. The benefactor, Mr. A.G. Ingram was also in attendance. Click on Professorship to view a slideshow of photos from the events.

This professorship was established in 1998 by Alexis Gordon Ingram ’61 to recognize and promote exemplary teaching and scholarship. Peyser joined the R-MC faculty in 1994 and has served as the Director of Writing since 2009. He is the author of two books, a novella, W.W. (Philadelphia: Xlibris, 2000), and Utopia and Cosmopolis: Globalization in the Era of American Literary Realism (Durham: Duke University Press, 1998). He is currently writing his third book, The Silent Revolution: Secularism and Spontaneous Order in Classic American Literature. In addition, his writings have appeared in revered academic journals including American Literary History, American Literary Realism, Contemporary Literature, Studies in American Fiction, and The Explicator.

On Friday evening, the college hosted a Celebration Gala for alumni and friends. Throughout the festive evening, guests had the opportunities to view renderings showing progress of completed campus projects such as Hugh Stevens Field at Estes Park and Andrews Hall, a 108 bed residence facility. They also viewed preliminary plans of the new student center, the Brown Campus Center at Brock Commons, scheduled to begin construction in 2012. The current Brown Campus Center will be razed to make room for this new and modern center. This project is made possible through a generous lead gift from former Board of Trustee Macon Brock Jr. ’64 and his wife Joan.

During the weekend, the theme “Celebrating 40 Years of Coeducation” was recognized with a letter from Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell. You can read the letter by clicking on coeducation.

Dedication of the late Dr. Bruce Unger's Office

On Saturday, October 15, the day began with a ceremony to honor the late Professor Bruce Unger and dedication of his former office in Fox Hall, Room 105 in his memory. His family and many of his colleagues and former students were in attendance and spoke of their respect for Unger who taught political science at R-MC from 1968 to 2008. The Dr. Bruce M. Unger Fund was created by R-MC Professors Lauren Bell, James Doering, Adrian Rice and Deonna Woolard, all of whom were hired by Unger during his service as acting dean of the college during the 1998-99 academic year. The fund is designed to help faculty members and students defray the cost or enhance the experience of professional or personal experiential learning opportunities. Click on Dedication to view a slideshow of photos from the event.

In addition to tours of the new Andrews Hall, a 108-bed residence facility, the day included tailgating activities and the Homecoming game. The R-MC Yellow Jackets were defeated 34-30 after a late touchdown by the Washington and Lee Generals.

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2011 ended on Sunday, October 16 with a worship service at Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church.

Planning for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2012, which will be held October 19-21, is already underway. Until then, please enjoy a slide show filled with memories of the 2011 festivities.