A host of Bluefield College faculty and staff earned a variety of professional development distinctions during the spring 2010 semester.
Dr. Cindy Bascom, associate professor of communications, promoted in April to full professor. A five-year veteran of the BC faculty, Dr. Bascom’s previous teaching experience includes five years as an assistant professor of communications at Butler University in Indiana and three years as an instructor of communications and marketing at Ohio University.
Dr. Thomas Bell, assistant professor of exercise and sport science, was promoted in April to associate professor. Dr. Bell came to BC from Liberty University where he taught sports management. He earned his Ph.D from Florida State University, his master’s degree from San Diego State University, and his bachelor’s degree from California State University.
Kristin Crotty Wilburn, administrative assistant to Athletics, was promoted in June to division manager for Athletics. A 2008 graduate of Bluefield College and a former member of the Lady Rams varsity soccer team, Crotty joined the BC staff in the spring of 2008.
Peter Dryer, head coach for men’s soccer, was promoted in June to acting athletic director in addition to his role with soccer. Dryer joined the BC staff just this past fall after serving as an assistant coach at Geneva College in Pennsylvania. His experience also includes a stint as director of coaching for the Pittsburgh Strikers Soccer Club.
Danny Flores, assistant coach for men’s baseball, was promoted in June to director of facilities and event management in addition to his baseball duties. Flores joined the BC staff this academic year after working as an instructor and trainer for the Upper Deck Baseball Academy in Beckley, West Virginia. A three-year veteran of the Oakland Oaks semi-pro baseball team in Maryland, he is also BC’s head coach for junior varsity baseball.
Steve Kessinger, director of administrative and academic systems, was promoted in February to director of information services and technology. In his new role, he will manage administrative and academic technology and related infrastructure. A 2002 graduate of Concord University, Kessinger also holds a master’s degree in strategic leadership from Mountain State University. He has been a member of the BC Information Technology staff since 2004.
Rebecca McCoy-Reese, instructor of theatre arts, was promoted in April to assistant professor. In addition to her duties in the classroom and on stage, McCoy-Reese is an instructor in BC’s Fine Arts Community School, a frequent director of BC theatrical performances, a member of the Christian drama ministry Re:Creations, and a member of the school’s Global Education Committee. In addition, she has performed internationally representing the college.
Dr. Rob Merritt, professor of English, led a workshop on the use of writing in therapy at the 30th Annual Conference of the National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT) in Washington, D.C., in April. The conference was designed to promote growth and wellness through language, symbol, and story. Dr. Merritt is a board member and vice president of conferences for the NAPT. He is also the author of a poetry collection called “Landscape Architects.”
Doug Minnix, assistant professor of exercise and sport science, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at Virginia Tech in February, completing the requirements for his Ph.D. in health education, sport psychology and higher education. A 1990 graduate of Bluefield College, Dr. Minnix also holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Tennessee. A full-time faculty member at BC since 2000, he also directs the school’s Intramural Athletic Program and Karate Club and was promoted to associate professor in April 2010.
Shirley Mutter, student accounts manager for the school’s Business Office, was promoted in May to officer manager, overseeing accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and other general business tasks. Mutter joined the BC staff in 2003 as a financial aid processor.
Dr. Tracey Stout, associate professor and chair of the Division of Christian Studies, authored and published a book in April entitled “A Fellowship of Baptism.” The book, already receiving critical acclaim, is an analytical reading of Karl Barth’s ecclesiology in light of his understanding of baptism and his view of the church. Ralph Wood, a professor of theology at Baylor University called the book, “a masterly study of Barth on baptism” that will “garner the interest of students and professors, of pastors and laypeople alike.”
Dr. Donna Watson, assistant professor of education, was promoted to associate professor in April. A graduate of Bluefield College, Dr. Watson is chair of the Division of Education and director of the Teacher Education Program. She joined the BC faculty full time in the fall of 2005 after teaching part time for nine years. In 2009-2010, she served as faculty president and spearheaded an accreditation process for the Teacher Education Program with the nationally recognized Teacher Education Accreditation Council. She also earned the school’s 2010 Distinguished Faculty Award.
Mike White, head coach for men’s baseball, was promoted in June to assistant athletic director in addition to his duties with baseball. White joined the BC staff in 2005 and has since led the Rams to four National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) World Series and an NCCAA National Championship in 2009. He also holds five years of coaching experience at the University of Virginia at Wise.
Eric Wohlford, manager of network services, was promoted in February to manager of network services and campus facilities. Wohlford, a 2002 BC graduate, holds an executive master’s degree in business administration with a specialization in project management from the University of Texas at Dallas. He has been a member of the BC Information Technology staff since 2004.