Category: Foundation News

The Marshall University Foundation has announced that Service Wire Company has committed $1 million in support of the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation at Marshall University.

Service Wire Company will provide both financial resources as well as wire and cable products for the new state-of-the-art facility for the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business. Additionally, the Transformative Sales and Service Excellence Center within the college will be renamed the Service Wire Company Transformative Sales and Service Excellence Center.

Louis Weisberg, president and chief executive officer of Service Wire Company, said he is excited to expand upon an existing relationship with the university and the city of Huntington.

“Service Wire has a long-standing history partnering with Marshall University, and we are pleased to continue this legacy,” said Weisberg. “We are proud to have Marshall University graduates in all departments across multiple locations – from accounting, sales and marketing, to engineering, operations and executive management.

“Service Wire has always been committed to serving the communities in which our employees live and work and that dedication extends to educational institutions. By providing an outlet for our employees and their families to further their education and recruit new talent, we can better equip our growing workforce.”

Dr. Ron Area, chief executive officer of the Marshall University Foundation, echoed the importance of the relationship between regional businesses and Marshall.

“There is a great deal of excitement right now surrounding the new school of business and its impact on Marshall University and the surrounding area,” Area said. “And that dream can only be fulfilled through relationships and great partners like Service Wire Company. Louis Weisberg, Chuck Oldaker and their team have been a partner of the university for a long time, and we look forward continuing that relationship in the future. This gift will help Marshall achieve its goals in transforming Huntington into a central hub for business innovation.”

Service Wire Company is a multi-generation, family-owned wire and cable manufacturer in existence since 1968. With locations across the nation, including West Virginia, Texas and Arizona, the company is committed to providing quality American products and industry-leading service. Through a nationwide network of distributors and advanced distribution capabilities, Service Wire Company is able to meet the needs of industrial, commercial, utility, pump, irrigation and transit customers throughout North America and the world.

With numerous employees and team members touting a degree from Marshall, Chuck Oldaker, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Service Wire Company, sees this as a unique partnership to further enhance the students and future workforce of West Virginia.

“The College of Business’ cutting-edge curriculum will help attract new talent,” Oldaker said. “We can continue to support these individuals post-graduation by offering gainful employment opportunities in one of our nationwide locations or through our vast sales agent network.”

The new state-of-the-art facility is slated to be built in the 1400 block of 4th Avenue on a plot of land that formerly housed The Flats on 4th apartment complex. The building is scheduled to open in January of 2024.

The building, which will also serve as a center for the economic development of the region, will provide for conference facilities capable of hosting both small and large business gatherings. Additionally, the building will serve as the hub for student centric activities, providing students not only with instructional facilities but also facilities encouraging interaction and collaboration.

The gift will also advance the Service Wire Company Transformative Sales and Service Excellence Center within the college. The Center aims to prepare the next generation of sales and service leaders through relevant curriculum, role-play exercises, real-world challenges, training and certification programs and networking with corporate partners. This funnel helps provide best-in-class employees for local businesses to grow and meet ever-changing needs in a post-pandemic economy.

“Service Wire is proud to be a staple in the community. We have a long history of supporting West Virginia and the Tri-State region and are pleased to be able to continue this spirit of giving,” Weisberg said.

Gary G. and Jo Ann White announced they have established the Dr. Jerome A. Gilbert Professorship in Biomedical Engineering in honor of the 37th president of Marshall University.

White, who served as interim president of Marshall University from December 2014 to January 2016, said he hopes this professorship will help cement the legacy of Gilbert while also continuing to propel the university forward in this unique and exciting field of study.

“Dr. Jerry Gilbert came to Marshall University at a critical time in our history, becoming Marshall’s 37th president after the unfortunate and untimely death of Stephen J. Kopp,” White said. “Under Dr. Gilbert’s leadership, Marshall continued to move forward. Among his many initiatives, Dr. Gilbert established the biomedical engineering program in 2018 combining the strengths of Marshall’s School of Medicine and its College of Engineering to provide students the opportunity to enter this new and exciting profession. Jo Ann and I are pleased to be able to memorialize Dr. Gilbert and his wife Leigh for their service to Marshall University and the region it serves.”

White was appointed to the role of interim president following the sudden death of long-time president Dr. Stephen J. Kopp. A Marshall graduate, White is a former member and past chairman of the Marshall University Board of Governors, as well as an accomplished businessman and leader in the coal mining industry.

Dr. Jerry Gilbert succeeded White in January 2016 as the 37th president of Marshall University. A Mississippi native with a background in biomedical engineering, Gilbert made an immediate and lasting impact on the university.

“I thank my friends Gary and Jo Ann White for their generous gift to establish a biomedical engineering professorship in my name at Marshall University. Having spent almost my entire career in biomedical engineering, I can think of no greater honor,” Gilbert said. “This professorship will help Marshall attract high quality faculty to the program and place it on the path to becoming a leader in the field of biomedical engineering. Along with its highly esteemed medical school, the biomedical program at Marshall has enormous potential for growth in both the research and education arenas.”

The Dr. Jerome A. Gilbert Professorship in Biomedical Engineering will help support an engineering professor with a background and advanced education in biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences (CECS) at Marshall University. Most importantly, the professorship will help attract high-quality faculty and support important educational and research initiatives in the department.

“My hope is that this professorship will enable us to attract a world-class chair for biomedical engineering,” said Dr. David Dampier, dean of CECS. “Dr. Jerry Gilbert has always been an inspiration to me. This gift provides a legacy that is both deserved and will preserve his memory. All gifts are valuable and provide needed resources for programs and this gift is directed to hiring a certain caliber of faculty member that Marshall may not be able to attract without the resources that are being provided.”

In addition to the educational opportunities, White hopes the establishment of this professorship will help further propel the legacy of Gilbert at Marshall University. Under his direction, Gilbert rapidly increased the national profile of the university and helped the institution earn the prestigious “R2” research institution designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of High Education. He also oversaw the addition of multiple high-demand programs and was a champion for sustainability and diversity and inclusion initiatives at the university.

“Looking back on my six years at Marshall, I am very proud of the progress that was made in both research and student success,” Gilbert said. “Being ranked as a doctoral research university for the first time in its history was a significant accomplishment that will continue to raise the stature and quality of the university. There is no question that student success rates continue to improve as undergraduates have more opportunities for cocurricular engagement in research, community projects and other activities to augment the excellent classroom experience at Marshall. Our number one focus is always on the students.”

To support the Dr. Jerome A. Gilbert Professorship in Biomedical Engineering or to learn more about supporting other important initiatives at Marshall University, visit www.marshall.edu/donate or contact the Marshall University Foundation at (304) 696-6264.

“In addition to establishing the biomedical engineering program, we believe Dr. Gilbert will be remembered for his visionary leadership and his many major initiatives,” White said. “We hope others will join Jo Ann and me by contributing to this professorship to help memorialize Dr. Gilbert’s service to Marshall University.”

Dr. Asad Salem was awarded the J. Robert Fletcher Professorship for Engineering in Marshall University’s College of Engineering and Computer Sciences in April. Salem is the interim chair of the Weisberg Department of Mechanical Engineering.

“Dr. Salem has served Marshall University in mechanical engineering very well for a number of years, and is very deserving of this honor,” said Dr. David A. Dampier, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences.

The J. Robert Fletcher Professorship for Engineering supports an endowed faculty position in mechanical engineering at Marshall. J.H. Fletcher & Co., along with the Fletcher family, established the endowment in 2010 with a gift of $125,000, which was matched by the trust fund at that time.

Fletcher, who died in May 2009, moved to Huntington in 1947 with his family business. Alongside his father and brother, he designed underground roof support systems for coal and limestone mines and built a manufacturing plant in Huntington. Today, J.H. Fletcher & Co. is one of the world’s premier manufacturers of underground roof support systems.

“I’m honored, and I would like to thank Fletcher for their support of the mechanical engineering program here at Marshall,” Salem said. “I am appreciative of Dean Dampier who trusted me and saw my hard work to award me this professorship.”

The funds Salem received will support his research in the areas of coal mining production, mining equipment and mine safety.

In 2012, Marshall received a $721,000 bequest from the Fletcher estate to fund the engineering professorship. The donation was matched through the state’s “Bucks for Brains” West Virginia Research Trust Fund for a total benefit to the university of more than $1.4 million.

Salem has been with Marshall since 2013. He is the founding chair of the mechanical engineering program. Fletcher was instrumental in establishing the program through monetary gifts.

The Marshall University Foundation is pleased to announce that the Dutch Miller Auto Group has pledged a gift of $1 million in support of the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation at Marshall University.

The new state-of-the-art facility for the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business is slated to be built in the 1400 block of 4th Avenue on a plot of land that formerly housed The Flats on 4th apartment complex. The building is scheduled to open in January of 2024.

The building, which will also serve as a center for the economic development of the region, will provide for conference facilities capable of hosting both small and large business gatherings. Additionally, the building will serve as the hub for student centric activities, providing students not only with instructional facilities but also facilities encouraging interaction and collaboration.

“I cannot imagine anything more important to the overall success of the economic development of the city of Huntington and the region than doing our part to help fund a business school that will revolutionize and transform the way we do business in the 21st and 22nd centuries,” said Chris Miller, co-owner of the Dutch Miller Auto Group and member of the Marshall University Board of Governors. “As Marshall goes, so goes Huntington. The correlation and connection between adding thousands of students to the city and what those students will do for Huntington and the region as far as economic development is substantial.”

Through a generous gift from Brad and Alys Smith, the new facility for the Lewis College of Business will become a reality in the very near future. Modern business school facilities require space designs that are organic and capable of growing and morphing to keep pace with a rapidly evolving business environment and that is forefront in the design of the new business school on the Huntington, West Virginia, campus.

“We couldn’t be more excited about what this incredible business school is going to mean for the region, for the city of Huntington and for Marshall,” said Ron Area, CEO of the Marshall University Foundation. “And it is only possible through the generous support of individuals like Chris Miller and his family. We are proud to team with great partners like the Dutch Miller Automotive Group and others in bringing the very best educational opportunities to the students at Marshall University.”

Incorporating the latest in technological enhancements and maintaining an open architecture capable of expanding and being reconfigured based upon changes and demands in the environment, the facility will incorporate classrooms that encourage active learning environments of various types. Included are rooms that can be reconfigured on the fly to accommodate modular interactions, stadium-type large capacity lecture rooms, computer-enhanced labs, media capture facilities and much more.

“I believe this could be the most advanced business school in a five-state area,” Miller said. “What Brad Smith is bringing to the table, and what Marshall University is designing, is something that pivots away from the standard school of business thought process and opens up the doors of really exploring thought and adapting to the new potential market-based curriculums. This advanced curriculum is a game changer for higher education in this area and across the country. And the more ahead of the curve we are, the more successful we are going to be.”

Dutch Miller Auto was founded by H.D. “Dutch” Miller in 1961 with the opening of Dutch Miller Chevrolet in Huntington, West Virginia. Now owned and operated by Miller’s son, Matt, and two grandsons, Chris and Sam Miller, the business has grown to include Chevrolet, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, Hyundai and Kia models.

Dutch Miller Auto currently employs approximately 300 people in the Tri-State from its Huntington, Barboursville and Charleston locations, along with serving the greater Charlotte, North Carolina, metro area.

“I believe that any business in a community forms a symbiotic relationship, and for me it is a privilege to do business in this community,” Miller said. “I feel there is a social and moral obligation for a business to make a community that it is privileged enough to do business in better. Giving back to Marshall University and its business school is just one of the many ways that we feel we can do just that.”

The Marshall University Alumni Association has announced the recipients of two of its top awards ahead of the 83rd Alumni Awards Banquet on April 9.

The Marshall University Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter, located in Beckley, West Virginia, has been named MUAA’s 2022 Chapter of the Year, while the Emerging Chapter of the Year award will be presented to Marshall University’s Eastern Panhandle Alumni and Big Green Chapter based out of Martinsburg, West Virginia, at the annual awards banquet next month.

“Our network of alumni chapters continues to flourish, and we are thrilled to see one of our newer groups rise to the ranks of MUAA Chapter of the Year,” said Kasey Stevens, assistant director of alumni relations at Marshall University. “The Southern Coalfields Chapter conducts numerous events each year and has raised thousands of dollars in scholarship support for students from southern West Virginia. Their passion for supporting the advancement of Marshall University’s goals and objectives is evident in everything they do. The group in the eastern panhandle is off to a strong start thanks to some high-caliber leadership and we have high hopes to see them rise quickly to contest for chapter of the year honors.”

Chapter of the Year is awarded each year to an outstanding alumni chapter for its contributions in membership growth, activities, fundraising and an overall dedication to Marshall University.

This is the first Chapter of the Year award for the Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter, which was established in 2017 when the Beckley Athletic Club (Big Green) contacted area alumni who had expressed interest in re-establishing an alumni chapter in the southern region. The chapter continues to support the area Coaches Tour Golf Outing, which has a long-standing relationship with the Big Green Scholarship Foundation.

Despite many obstacles faced throughout the pandemic, the Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter had its most successful year in terms of fundraising and event participation. In addition, active membership increased by approximately 25 percent.

In July 2021, the Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter presented the Marshall University Foundation with $13,000 and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation with $21,000 for a total of $34,000. The chapter also established the MU Southern Coalfields Scholarship Endowment, pledging $25,000 over five years. By the end of 2021, the chapter had fulfilled more than $10,000 toward this goal.

The chapter’s events in 2021 included the Beckley Big Green Coaches Tour Golf Outing, which hosted 96 golfers and more than 40 businesses in support of the annual event. The chapter also hosted the Thunder in the Alley Bowling Event, which saw 108 bowlers in attendance and grossed $5,900. In conjunction with the Beckley Golf Outing, the chapter hosted the inaugural Mark Walker Golf Ball Drop. This event was to honor Mark Walker, described as a “true Son of Marshall,” who battled a terminal brain tumor. This event would be Walker’s last public outing as he passed two months later. Nearly 1,000 golf balls were dropped on the putting green to raise $1,800 for the Southern Coalfields Scholarship Endowment.

The Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter is led by Tim Cyrus as president, Doug Leeber as past president, Miranda Arvon as first vice president, Amanda Ashley as second vice president, Larry Foster as treasurer and Kim Arden as secretary.

Members of the Eastern Panhandle Alumni & Big Green Chapter
Emerging Chapter of the Year is awarded to an up-and-coming alumni chapters for its efforts toward fundraising, membership growth, activities and dedication to Marshall University. Due to the pandemic, the award was not given in 2020 or 2021, meaning the Eastern Panhandle Chapter is the second chapter to receive this award.

The Eastern Panhandle Chapter was established in April 2021. The idea for the chapter came from conversations between Adam Stewart and Tim Pownell, two Marshall graduates who work together at United Bank in Martinsburg and Charles Town in West Virginia. Stewart is the chapter’s president with Pownell serving as vice president.

The Eastern Panhandle is one of the fastest growing areas in West Virginia. Members of the Eastern Panhandle Chapter aim to recruit high school students to attend Marshall, with plans to work with guidance counselors at area high schools. In addition to recruitment, the Eastern Panhandle Chapter wants to eventually create scholarships for Eastern Panhandle students.

The chapter has seven members on its board of directors, and close to 20 additional members. In the year since its formation, the chapter has hosted a handful of tailgates and game-watching events with numerous attendees at each.

For more information about the Alumni Awards Banquet visit www.herdalum.com.

The Marshall University Foundation, Inc. is thrilled to announce that OVP HEALTH has pledged a gift of $100,000 in support of the new Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation facility at Marshall University.

The facility is slated to be built in the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue and is scheduled to open in January of 2024.

OVP HEALTH, a Huntington, West Virginia, based company with an extensive range of primary care and addiction treatment facilities in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia, led by president and co-founder Robert A. Hess, MD, FAAFP, is excited to partner with Marshall University in support of the state-of-the-art facility that will bring new economic development and world class students to the region.

“More than ever before, the economic health, viability and future of Huntington, West Virginia, are tied to Marshall University and its ability to prepare students to meet the growing demands of an ever-changing world,” said Hess.

Dr. Hess, an accomplished health care professional, earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Marshall University in 1980. After graduating from the Marshall University School of Medicine in 1984, Dr. Hess found success with Huntington Internal Medicine Group (HIMG), eventually becoming president of the large physician practice.

In 1999, Dr. Hess partnered with the late Stephen C. Shy, DO, to establish Ohio Valley Physicians, now known as OVP HEALTH.  For the past 23 years, he has been instrumental in leading the tremendous growth and success of the company, which now employs nearly 500 people.

Outside of his primary responsibilities as president and corporate medical director of OVP HEALTH, Dr. Hess dedicates himself to supporting Marshall University, including the establishment of a diversity internship program with its Lewis College of Business to provide opportunities for master’s degree students of color, working in health care administration.

With the establishment of the new business center, Dr. Hess is excited to continue his longstanding relationship with Marshall.

“As a growing, Huntington-based company with operations in five states, OVP HEALTH is delighted to support the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation,” Dr. Hess said. “It will not only provide students with the state-of-the-art learning environment needed to acquire that preparation but will also help to build a pipeline that will supply local, regional and national companies with a reliable stream of world-class employees and business leaders. And for the city and community of Huntington, that can only help to ensure a brighter, stronger and healthier future.”

The Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation will serve as a hub for the economic development of the region, as well providing Marshall University students with cutting-edge instructional facilities. The facility also features a unique design that provides flexibility for a changing academic environment and classrooms that encourage active learning of various types.

Marshall University hopes to attract new students to the region eager to take advantage of one of the most innovative business schools in the country.

To learn more about OVP HEALTH visit www.ovphealth.com. For more information about the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation and the Brad D. Smith Schools of Business, visit www.marshall.edu/cob.

The Marshall University Foundation has announced that Steel Dynamics, Inc. (Foundation) has pledged a gift of $100,000 in support of the new Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation facility at Marshall University.

The state-of-the-art facility is slated to be built in the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue on a plot of land that formerly housed The Flats on 4th apartment complex. The building is scheduled to open in January of 2024.

The building, which will also serve as a center for the economic development of the region, will provide for conference facilities capable of hosting both small and large business gatherings. Additionally, the building will serve as the hub for student-centric activities, providing students not only with instructional facilities but also facilities encouraging interaction and collaboration.

“The Lewis College of Business at Marshall University has graduated many of our current employees and has proven to be an excellent education provider to the region. Investments in new facilities and equipment will keep those graduates up to date with the ever-changing business world,” said Chuck Abbott, vice president and general manager at Steel of West Virginia. “We believe a better-educated workforce creates a stronger economy with higher living standards and more opportunities for everyone to benefit from it, including those less fortunate.”

A game changer for the region, the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation will implement the latest in technological enhancements while maintaining an open architecture capable of expanding and being reconfigured based upon changes and demands in the environment. Additionally, the facility will incorporate classrooms that encourage active learning environments of various types.

The facility will help attract new students to Marshall University eager to take advantage of one of the most innovative business schools in the country. In turn, Abbott looks forward to what that means for the entire region both in terms of economic impact and a highly adaptable and skilled workforce.

“Our region will be positively impacted with the latest educational initiatives,” Abbott said. “This will allow our families and their children to get a great, cost-effective education preparing them for successful careers. The new facility will also attract world class faculty and students. Business in the region will also be able to greatly improve with these better prepared graduates.”

Founded in 1993, Steel Dynamics, Inc. is one of the largest and youngest domestic steel producers and metals recyclers in the United States based on estimated annual steelmaking and metals recycling capability. With annual revenues of $18.4 billion in 2021, SDI has over 10,000 employees and manufacturing facilities primarily located throughout the United States. SDI quickly grew to become one of the premier carbon steel producers in the United States. Steel Dynamics’ growth is a combination of organic capacity greenfield additions and strategic acquisitions.

Steel Dynamics’ operations consist of seven mills, one of which is Steel of West Virginia, producing steel from steel scrap using electric arc furnaces, continuous casting, automated rolling mills and downstream finishing facilities.

The company was recently recognized as the 2021 Steel Producer of the Year by Fastmarkets Global Awards for Steel Excellence and was the only steel producer out of 236 USA employers named one of the World’s Best Employers in 2021 by Forbes. Steel Dynamics was also named by Investor’s Business Daily as one of the 100 Best Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Companies of 2021. SDI is the only USA steel producer given this designation and one of only three steel producers globally.

Steel Dynamics has been a regular supporter of Marshall University through the years, previously donating to the computer lab in the Lewis College of Business and supporting other projects on campus. Abbott said that, as both a Marshall graduate and a proud member of the Steel Dynamics family, he is thrilled to help facilitate change in the region by supporting Marshall University and its growing campus.

“We are thankful for the SDI Foundation to be able to help the new business college in its funding for the new Brad D. Smith Business and Innovation Center building,” Abbott said. “It is fantastic to be able to help Marshall University continue to move forward by giving back to a school that has provided Steel of West Virginia outstanding employees for decades.”

Marshall University and the Marshall University Alumni Association (MUAA) are set to host the 83rd annual Alumni Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 9, beginning at 6 p.m. with a reception followed by dinner and awards at 7 p.m. at the Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall.

The Marshall University Alumni Awards Banquet recognizes outstanding alumni, university supporters and students during an evening of celebration and reverence of the great things being accomplished by the Marshall University alumni community. The event, postponed for the past two years due to the pandemic, will feature awardees who were originally slated to be honored in 2020.

Highlighting the list of more than a dozen honorees at the 2022 awards banquet are Brad and Alys Smith. Brad D. Smith has been selected as the recipient of the Marshall University Distinguished Alumnus award while Alys Smith has been selected as the recipient of the Distinguished Service to Marshall University award, two of Marshall’s highest honors. William Joseph Kehoe and Cathy Burns have been selected as co-recipients of the Outstanding Community Achievement award, and Jeff McKay will receive the Distinguished Young Alumnus award.

Other awards scheduled for the evening will include the MUAA Chapter of the Year, this year being awarded to the Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Chapter located in Beckley, West Virginia, along with the MUAA Emerging Chapter of the Year going to the Eastern Panhandle Alumni and Big Green Chapter based out of Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Individual Awards of Distinction will also be presented during the event to honorees from each of Marshall’s schools and colleges. This year’s Awards of Distinction will go to Robert A. Hess (School of Medicine), Daniel Collins III (School of Pharmacy), Lee Ann Brammer (College of Health Professions), Bruce Felder (College of Business), Brandon McCoy (College of Arts and Media), Barbara Guyer (College of Education and Professional Development), David Casto (College of Engineering and Computer Science), Steve Beckelhimer (College of Science) and Kathryn Gutzwiller (College of Liberal Arts).

“We are so excited to once again be able to host this wonderful event and showcase the amazing alumni, faculty, staff, students and supporters of Marshall University,” said Larry Crum, senior director of communications at the Marshall University Foundation, Inc. “This year we have the unique opportunity to recognize many of the awardees that were selected to receive awards in 2020, as well as some new honorees selected earlier this year. This is also the first year we will be hosting this event in Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall which home to the Erickson Alumni Center, a fitting backdrop for this event. We can’t wait to roll out the green carpet for our awardees on April 9.”

Born in Huntington, West Virginia, and growing up in nearby Kenova, Brad D. Smith graduated from Marshall University in 1986 with a degree in business administration and an emphasis in marketing. After serving in various sales, marketing and general management positions, Smith joined Intuit in February of 2003 as vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Accountant Central and Development Network in Plano, Texas. He led the company’s Consumer Tax Group in San Diego from March 2004 through May 2005 before being appointed to senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Small Business Division in May 2006. Smith became Intuit’s president and chief executive officer in January 2008 until stepping down as CEO at the end of 2018.

During Smith’s tenure as CEO, Intuit experienced significant growth, while consistently being recognized as one of the world’s best places to work. Smith ranked among the top executives in the United States by Fortune, coming in at No. 6 on their list of top CEOs. Originally slated to be honored in 2020, Smith has since gone on to be named Marshall University’s 38th president in January of this year.

Alys Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from The Ohio State University and then graduated with a law degree from the University of Akron School of Law. Together Brad and Alys Smith have helped change the landscape at Marshall University in profound ways.

In November 2018, the Smiths made a transformational $25 million gift to Marshall’s Lewis College of Business. In recognition of his generosity, the college named its undergraduate and graduate schools for him. Previously, the Smiths established the Brad D. and Alys Smith Family Scholarship at Marshall for West Virginia and Ohio students, with preference for first-generation college students. Their past support was recognized by the university foundation’s board of directors in 2015, when the foundation board named its building the Brad D. Smith Foundation Hall.

The Smiths have been intimately involved in numerous Marshall projects over the years, including 2017’s Innovating for Impact Challenge, which featured Intuit leaders visiting Huntington to help the university’s students create business plans. The program culminated in a competition judged by Smith, actress and West Virginia native Jennifer Garner, and former Marshall and NFL quarterback Chad Pennington.

In other categories, William Joseph Kehoe and Cathy Burns are the co-recipients of the Outstanding Community Achievement Award.

Kehoe is the William F. O’Dell Professor Emeritus of Commerce at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is also a Faculty Fellow of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of Virginia. He was a faculty member at the Marshall University College of Business from 1971-73 and received an M.A. in Economics from Marshall in 1973. Kehoe’s many years of community achievement were recognized by the Charlottesville community in awarding him as Citizen of the Year by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2016 for his more than two decades of community leadership and initiatives. Kehoe’s years of community service stretch across local, state, national and academic community levels.

Burns is the Executive Director of the Huntington Municipal Development Authority. She was the first female CEO of the Huntington Chamber of Commerce and is the former City Manager of Huntington, holding membership on multiple state and national boards. Burns has been a champion for Huntington’s growth and prosperity throughout her career, being involved in multiple economic and job development projects. She has been honored with multiple awards and recognitions, including the The Herald-Dispatch’s Business Person of the Year and WV Executive Magazine’s 2019 Wonder Woman award. Burns graduated from Marshall in 1983 with a B.S. in Criminal Justice.

Jeff McKay will serve as this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award. McKay, a two-time graduate of Marshall with a B.A. in Sociology in 2009 and an M.A. in Sociology in 2012, has changed the beer culture of Huntington. McKay founded Huntington’s first craft beer bar and helped found Huntington’s Rails and Ales Festival and the Wild and Wonderful Winter Beer Fest. He lobbied state leaders to change beer laws for the better, bringing additional business to the Mountain State.

Other honorees at the annual alumni awards banquet include Makena Rauch (Cam Henderson Scholarship), Charity Hightower (Nate Ruffin Scholarship), Joelle Williams (Janis Winkfield Scholarship), Hannah Dorsey (Nancy Pelphrey/Herd Village Scholarship) and Miranda Pate (Nancy Pelphrey/Herd Village Scholarship).

For more information visit www.herdalum.com.

CLICK HERE to view the full list of this year’s awardees.

Imagine, if you will, a race.

On one end of this race stands an ordinary, everyday man or woman trying to complete a 1-mile obstacle course through downtown Los Angeles in front of a national television audience. At the other end of this race, is $1 million.

Of course, like any made-for-television game show, this competition comes with a catch. After a brief head start, these average Americans are then chased down by a series of elite athletes whose entire mission is to stop them from reaching the finish and winning the grand prize.

Sound intense? It is.

Developed by NBA superstar LeBron James and hosted by former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, Million Dollar Mile debuted on CBS with nine episodes during the summer of 2019. With colorful personalities, extraordinary athleticism and gifted physiques, the stars of the show were the defenders who took turns each week hunting down and eliminating contestants.

While all the defenders had their time in the spotlight, one who made a significant splash during the five-month run of the show was Emma Chapman, a two-time Marshall University graduate and former Thundering Herd athlete, affectionately known as “The Mighty Kiwi.” Chapman is one of the most decorated obstacle course racing athletes in the world and has made a name for herself on the competitive circuit of CrossFit competitions and Tough Mudder X races.

Recognized nationally for her skill in these arenas, Chapman was an easy selection to star on the show and was one of the first athletes featured in the debut episode. Of course, starring on the show also meant she had to try on a different persona as a villain on national television.

“As a defender, we were basically seen as the bad guys. As competitive as I am, I wouldn’t say I am a mean person, so it was really hard for me to get into character. Still, the overall experience was truly amazing and one that I am extremely grateful for,” Chapman said.

Chapman was one of 10 defenders, a group made up of six men and four women. Their job was to chase down the contestants attempting to win the $1 million as they navigated five separate obstacles, each earning them more money. The contestants were given a two-minute head start before the defenders began their pursuit.

With so many gifted athletes in one space, Chapman admitted the competition quickly shifted from the contestants to the defenders themselves.

“Filming the show in L.A. was an amazing experience. Being behind the scenes of a television show was really unique. And, of course, when you put several competitive athletes together in one place, crazy things happen,” Chapman said. “One evening, the other female defenders and I were discussing how we could beat any of the male defenders through the obstacle course. This conversation was overhead by one of the producers who then decided it would be a good idea for some of us females to race against the male contestants on the show.

“I believe it was the next night where they read aloud who we would be racing against when they said that I would be racing against a male contestant. I was shocked and extremely nervous at the same time. I did not want to be the defender who gave away the $1 million prize, so I knew I had to step up to the plate. The contestant ended up getting to the fifth obstacle where I overtook him on a rock-climbing wall that was located at the end of a swimming pool. I would like to know what my heart rate was during the race because I believe it was the most nervous I have been in my entire life.”

That moment was a microcosm of her time on this earth thus far. Simply put, Chapman was born for the big stage.

Born in England before moving to New Zealand at the age of 10, Chapman grew up in a family of athletes. And it wasn’t long before competition became a way of life. She began playing soccer at a young age before joining local clubs and working her way up to playing for New Zealand’s U20 national team.

“My dad, both brothers and I grew up playing soccer – or football as we call it. I was always active and enjoyed playing a number of different sports. Playing soccer gave me so many amazing opportunities, including traveling the world representing New Zealand at the U20 Women’s World Cup, and ultimately leading to Marshall University,” Chapman said.

During her time playing for the national team, one of her coaches connected her with former Marshall University women’s soccer coach Chris Kane. A few months later, Chapman was on a plane and on her way to Huntington to play for The Herd.

“I am forever grateful for the opportunity to attend university where I pursued my degree in education and represented the university in soccer,” Chapman said. “The opportunity to attend university and play a sport is unique to America and not really an option in New Zealand. When I arrived at Marshall, I almost instantly felt at home amongst my teammates and Huntington.”

While she was quick to make friends, life in West Virginia took some getting used to. But it wasn’t long before her newfound friends and teammates helped set her on the right track.

“When I arrived in Huntington and was picked up by Chris, I remember vividly coach taking a right turn on red and I was instantly in shock,” Chapman said with a laugh. “Obviously driving on the opposite side of the road took me a while to get used to. Still to this day I go to get into my vehicle to drive, only to realize I have opened the passenger side door. There were several examples of things like that from the dairy products – the cheese is very yellow here – to the portion sizes. One piece of advice I got from family and friends before coming to the USA was to eat half of what they serve in restaurants, and they were not kidding.

“In terms of culture shock, overall it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. West Virginia shares a lot of similarities with New Zealand, in particular the south island where I lived. The people are friendly and there are lots of mountains and the weather is seasonal. I really did feel at home when I arrived here.”

During her time in Huntington, Chapman earned two degrees, including her master’s degree in education in 2013. She also met her future husband, Corey Chapman, and helped guide the Thundering Herd women’s soccer team to Conference USA success during her senior year.

“I spent eight years in Huntington and I always tell people that if I could go back in time, I would do it all over again,” Chapman said. “Playing soccer for the Thundering Herd was such an amazing experience and I take great pride in it. I also really enjoyed my time during my studies in the education department where I met some lifelong friends, and my husband. Coming to Marshall literally changed the course of my life.

“I initially had plans to move back home after graduating, but here I am, 14 years later, still living in America. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to come over here and represent the university.”

Today, Chapman resides in Berea, Kentucky, with her husband and two dogs. Chapman teaches health education to middle school and high school students in Berea and her husband, Corey, is the strength and conditioning coach at Madison Central High School, where he also coaches football. As a teacher, Chapman feels right at home doing something she has always dreamt of since she was very young, and it is all thanks to her education at Marshall.

“I have been active my entire life. I pretty much played every sport growing up. My parents were also huge advocates for health and wellness and are both are very active themselves. In fact, my dad still plays soccer and will be turning 60 soon,” Chapman said. “Some of my role models growing up were the teachers I had, in particular, the physical education teachers. I knew at an early age that I wanted to pursue teaching as a career, specifically being a health and physical education teacher. It allows me to make a positive impact in the lives of my students each day and promote a healthy lifestyle. There are so many additional benefits such as teaching my students what it means to work as a team, strengthening their social skills and improving their focus and abilities in the classroom.”

But that is far from the end of this story.

Over the past four years, Chapman has competed professionally in CrossFit challenges, along with other competitive arenas including obstacle course racing and, more recently, triathlons. In fact, it was during her time in Huntington that Chapman fell in love with CrossFit as it provided that competitive itch that was missing when her soccer career was over.

“I started CrossFit back in 2014 as it filled the void of training that was missing. It sounds funny to say out loud, but I really missed being told what to do, how to do it, when to do it when it comes to working out. My time playing soccer at Marshall was just that,” Chapman said. “I am a pretty routine-oriented person and joining a CrossFit gym allowed me to add working out back to my routine on a more consistent basis.”

After two years of training, Chapman qualified for her first regional event in 2016 before making it all the way to the team competition at the CrossFit Games in 2019 where her team placed fifth in the world. She then qualified for the CrossFit games as an individual in 2020, only to have that opportunity taken away due to the pandemic. “I was absolutely devastated, but it motivated me more and I then went on to qualify for the semifinals in 2021,” Chapman added.

In addition to her time in CrossFit, Chapman also ventured into the world of obstacle course racing and competed in her first Tough Mudder X competition in Richmond, Virginia, in 2018. At the event, 50 male and 50 female competitors battled the course over three races to decide a champion. Setting a personal goal to place in the top 10, Chapman went on to win the competition, opening many doors in the years ahead.

“After winning the Tough Mudder X competition and being crowned world championship, that led to a host of amazing experiences including the Spartan Games in 2019, Spartan World Championship races in 2019 and 2021, and my involvement in the Million Dollar Mile show,” Chapman said.

After years of success on the soccer pitch, in gyms, on muddy fields across the nation and on national television, what drives Chapman to be successful?

“I am a very competitive person by nature, and I believe that stems from growing up with a twin sister and two older brothers,” Chapman said. “I really like the opportunity to challenge myself more than anything. For me, competing against other people isn’t what drives me. What drives me is seeing my own performance improve from all the work that I put into training. That feeling of getting better is almost addicting. It’s definitely what keeps me motivated.”

Another thing that keeps her motivated are the kids she guides each week. And when they found out that their teacher was going to be on television, it didn’t take long for them to chime in how they felt.

“My students still talk about the show to this day,” Chapman said. “I was not allowed to say I would be on the show until they publicly announced who the defenders were. There were several commercials that aired prior to the show, including a Super Bowl commercial, and it was there that some people spotted me. I appeared in the first episode, and we ended up having a watch party at the school.

“Being the villain was a shock to some of my students. I had several tell me that they didn’t think I could be mean. I just hope that my time on the show helped to inspire my students to believe that through hard work, anything is possible.”

While she has already lived a life that has taken her around the world and thrust her onto the national stage in many arenas, Chapman remains humble and always points to Marshall as a guide on this amazing journey.

“Marshall University really did change the course of my life,” Chapman said. “Marshall helped give me my career and it was there that I was introduced to CrossFit. I attended my first class after graduation at CrossFit Thunder and I was instantly hooked. That filled the void that playing soccer left and ultimately led to all the opportunities I have experienced to date.

“I truly believe I would not have had as much success and experienced the amazing opportunities that I have if it had not been for attending Marshall.”

Breaking news. Epic fantasy. While these genres seemingly have nothing in common, for Marshall University graduate Emily (Burch ) Harris, they are two published volumes in her professional bibliography.

Harris has worked in journalism for more than 25 years and is currently a lecturer and the program adviser for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s student newspaper, The A&T Register. In addition, Harris recently co-authored a book, “Shadowplay,” alongside New York Times best-selling author and friend, Terry Mancour.

“It was really rewarding, amazing and surprisingly painless,” Harris said of her venture with Mancour, who is the author of the “Spellmonger” book series. “Shadowplay,” which was published in October 2021, is the first book in a trilogy based on Gatina, a popular “Spellmonger” character. “ Shadowplay” is available on Kindle and Audible and was produced by Podium Audio.

Harris, who has edited the “Spellmonger” series since 2010, said she approached Mancour with the idea of collaborating on a book early in the pandemic. They spent weeks brainstorming and outlining, often speaking over the phone or video chat before being able to meet in person on a joint family beach trip in August 2020.

“I liken it to playing in someone else’s sandbox with someone else’s toys,” Harris said. “It’s his world, he built it, but I got to add my spin to it.”

Writing an epic fantasy novel is very different from the journalistic training Harris received as a student in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Harris, a two-time Marshall graduate, earned her bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism in 1994, and earned her master’s degree in journalism in 1996.

Harris said she always knew she wanted to be a writer, but it took time to find the courage to give voice to the type of writing she wanted to do. However, a breaking news story in the spring of 1993 regarding a student government election showed her journalism is where she was supposed to be.

“As a student journalist, it was the adrenaline rush,” Harris said. “That story, among a few others, led me to believe that’s where I needed to be. News is what I needed to be doing.”

Harris, a graduate of Winfield High School, had opportunities to attend college out of state, but her second campus tour of Marshall changed her mind.

“It was the squirrels,” she laughed, as she described Marshall’s welcoming, fur-covered friends and the picturesque scenery of the trees draped over the brick walkway between Smith Hall and Old Main. “I just felt like I was somewhere else. It felt like I had come home. Something in there connected with my soul.”

During her time as a student, Harris was on the editorial staff of The Parthenon, news director for WMUL-FM and editor of The Chief Justice, Marshall’s former yearbook.

While completing her master’s, Harris worked as a graduate assistant for the Marshall Artists Series where she got to meet legendary musicians Art Garfunkel and Stewart Copeland.

“I don’t think I would have had those experiences had I gone to Syracuse or Carolina,” Harris said.

Harris had one goal after graduating from Marshall – to work at a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper. Harris achieved this goal, later working at the Winston-Salem Journal. She has also worked for The Morning News, in Florence, South Carolina, as well as the High Point Enterprise and the Greensboro News and Record, both in North Carolina.

Harris, recounting her first off-campus apartment with its green shag carpet and olive green stove, highlights the impact her time in the journalism program and her professors, such as Dr. George Arnold, Dr. Charles G. Bailey, Dr. Janet Dooley, Prof. Dwight Jensen and Dr. Ralph Turner, had on her during her time at Marshall.

“Everything I did, everything I learned and all the experiences I had helped build me into the person I had become and am becoming,” Harris said. “That all ties back to the journalism program, as well as the patience, sense of humor and graciousness of the professors.”

In 2004, Harris began working in student media before taking on a full-time position in 2007. Regarding her teaching tactics, Harris pulls from her experience as a student in Marshall’s journalism program.

“I try to model the behavior that our advisers and professors presented us with when we were students,” Harris said.

In an age where journalists and the media are under regular scrutiny, Harris works with her students to dispel the myths surrounding the profession, as well as bolster the importance of media literacy, law and ethics.

“If it’s your passion, it’s worth pursuing,” Harris said. “If you know journalism is what you want to do and you want to be a recorder of history, then start with the history of the major.”

In 2021, Harris was given the Honor Roll Adviser Award for a four-year newspaper from the College Media Association. While honored by the accolade, Harris said the award felt much bigger than just herself.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the students,” Harris said. “Everything I learned about student media ties back to The Parthenon and WMUL. Being named adviser of the year felt amazing, but it wasn’t just about me, it was about Arnold, and Turner, and Dooley and Bailey, and everyone else who came before me.”

By day, Harris may mold the minds of young journalists, but in her off hours she continues her passion for fiction. In 2016, she published her first novel “Avalon’s Choice: A Rebekah Keith Chronicle,” which is available on Kindle, and subsequent books are in the works. She also has other ideas for future books, including one set in West Virginia.

Harris, who resides in Greensboro, North Carolina, with her husband, Doug, and their 11-year-old son Connor, have visited the Mountain State and recalls the memory of a visit to Huntington in 2010, complete with a stop at a Jewel City favorite, Chili Willis.

“I wanted to stop by Stationer’s” Harris said. “When we got there, it was closed, and the keys were on the ground. We took them to MUPD, and the next day the owners called to thank us and gave us a $50 gift card.”

From the classrooms of Smith Hall to the realm of Callidore in the “Spellmonger” universe, Harris’ love for the written word can be found in each sentence of her stories, and it’s a love she hopes to inspire others.

“I would encourage people who have a story they want to tell to just start writing,” Harris said. “Nobody can tell your story but you.”