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Bluefield College welcomed a host of new employees to the BC family for the fall 2012 semester, including four new members of the faculty and 15 new members of the administrative staff.

Chris Shoemaker

December 7, 2012

Andrew Lawrence joined the BC faculty as an instructor of information technology. He holds a master’s degree in teaching and learning with technology from Ashford University and a bachelor’s degree in humanities from Bluefield State College. In addition to his teaching, Lawrence works with teens and young adults at Destiny Outreach Ministries.

Dr. Benjamin Thorburn joined the BC faculty as an associate professor of music after teaching at Yale University and Naugatuck Valley Community College. Dr. Thorburn earned a master’s degree in music history and a Ph.D. in music history from Yale University. He has performed widely as a bass soloist and is an experienced conductor and musical director in both church and musical theatre settings.

April Workman joined the BC faculty as an assistant professor of special education after working 14 years in special education with Tazewell County Schools. Workman, who is also certified to teach children with autistic spectrum disorders, has a master’s degree in special education from Old Dominion University and a bachelor’s degree in education for the deaf and hard of hearing from Barton College.

And, Dr. Maria Zalduondo joined the BC faculty as an associate professor of languages and director of global education. Her experience includes teaching stints at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Texas Christian University, and Concord University. She specializes in the literature of Mexico and Spanish-America, Afro-Hispanic literature, and gender and cultural studies. She holds a master’s degree from the Institute of Latin American Studies and a Ph.D. in Hispanic literature, both from the University of Texas at Austin.

Among the new members on staff in fall 2012: Sandra Argo, an international student recruiter. A native of Sao Luis in Maranhão, Brazil, Argo has served as a school administrator, principal, coordinator, language teacher, supervisor, and project manager of educational programs at elementary, middle and high schools in Brazil. She holds a bachelor’s degree in letters and a master’s degree in business administration, along with extensive time in study abroad. In her new position with Bluefield College, Argo is developing partnerships with Brazilian colleges to enable Brazilian students to study at BC.

Carlyn Cole joined the BC staff as an admissions counselor for transfer students. She comes to Bluefield after working in branding and recruiting. She has a bachelor’s degree in art and art history from Bucknell University of Pennsylvania, where she studied writing and communications and was a member of the women’s varsity swim team

Katilyn Duggins joined the BC staff as a student financial advocate after just graduating from Bluefield College in May 2012. In her new position with BC, Duggins will work with students on their fiscal accounts, financial questions, and financial planning.

Randy Fielder joined the BC Athletic Department as the head coach for women’s softball after serving as an assistant coach at BC and at Tazewell High School. A 1994 graduate of Berea College, Fielder is also the pastor of Riverside Community Church in Tazewell, Virginia.

Kristen Garrett joined BC full time as the assistant director of the Academic Center for Excellence after serving part time as coordinator of the school’s Bonner Scholars program and community outreach services. A frequent missionary with Baptist Medical and Dental Missions International, Garrett has also served as a resident hall director for BC.

Carly Kestner rejoined the BC staff as director of financial aid after a short stint in Financial Aid at Virginia Tech. Before that, she served seven years in BC’s Financial Aid Office as a financial aid processor and assistant director of financial aid.

Beth Kinser also rejoined the BC staff as an administrative assistant for institutional advancement after working the past 10 years for Tazewell County Schools. Before that, she worked at Bluefield College as an administrative assistant for alumni relations and public relations. Kinser holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with specializations in marketing and office management from Bluefield State College.

Leslie Trescot joined the BC staff as registrar. She comes to BC after working as an executive with CSX Transportation and as a licensed realtor. She also has experience in consulting with Andersen Consulting. Trescott has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Auburn University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida.

Derrick Price joined the college full time as a financial aid counselor for online degree completion students after working part time as an assistant coach for men’s basketball at BC. A former Bluefield College men’s basketball player, himself, Price also served four years as head coach for the boys basketball team at Bluefield (WV) Middle School.

Travis Roberts joined the BC Athletic Department as the head coach for men’s and women’s cross-country. A 2001 communications graduate of Bluefield College, Roberts is the founder and manager of Techpacity, a multimedia, video production, marketing, web site, and public relations company. A longtime distance runner with years of experience in cross country, he also is a weathercaster for WVVA-TV and has served as an executive pastor at Destiny Outreach Ministries

Rudy Roediger joined the BC family as sports information director after working in sports information at Notre Dame College near Cleveland, Ohio. Before Notre Dame, Roediger served as athletics director for Piketon Junior and Senior High School in Ohio.

Cheryl Shippey joined the college’s staff as director of the New Opportunity School for Women. She comes to Bluefield after serving as director of annual giving for the Floyd Hospital Foundation in Georgia. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Kristy Stout joined the BC staff as coordinator of the Fine Arts Community School. In addition to the arts, Stout works in the field of early intervention for special needs children. She is an independent social worker and child development specialist for West Virginia’s early intervention system. She also is an adjunct instructor at Bluefield College and has worked for Child Protective Services in Texas and Virginia. Stout holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science from Hardin-Simmons University in Texas and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Terri Thomason joined the BC family as the assistant registrar after working 23 years in drafting and quality control for the ABB Group in Bland, Virginia. She attended Wytheville Community College, and in addition to being a wife, mother and grandmother, she is a member of Memorial Church of Christ in Princeton, West Virginia.

Brenda Workman joined the BC staff full time as an admissions counselor for online degree completion students after serving the college part time as an administrative assistant for the Office of Enrollment Management. Workman has also served BC as director of the Fine Arts Community School and as a liaison between the school and local home school students.

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