Professor Emeritus James W. “Jim” Rogers ’63 will be given the Alumni Association’s Alumni Service Award in recognition of his devoted service to Glenville State College and to the Alumni Association. A former Pioneer (1962), Jim has sketched all three versions of the College’s Pioneer that has been used in athletic, alumni, and marketing publications for the last three decades. Jim and his wife, Dr. Marilyn “Susie” Strickling Rogers ’68, reside in Summersville. They are parents of three children: Eric Matthew Rogers, Jennifer Lynn Rogers Ankrum, and Melissa Rogers Sherman ’98. His academic degrees include an A.B. degree in Education from Glenville State College (1963); a 1966 M.A. degree in Art from West Virginia University; and a M.F.A. degree in Painting and Printmaking from Wichita State University (1972). Mr. Rogers taught at Parkersburg High School, 1964-1966; Glenville State College, 1966-1970; Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi 1972-1976; and again at Glenville State College from 1976 until his retirement in 1999.

Harry M. Smith ’55 will be given the Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award for his distinguished career in the Fairfax County (VA) school system where he was Student Activities Director and worked as a teacher, coach, and athletic director at Robinson Secondary School. The Harry M. Smith Field House, on the school’s grounds, is named in his honor. This large complex seats 5,000, has four basketball arenas, a wrestling room, gymnastics room including a weight room, and three hand ball courts, plus a stage that opens to both the inside and outside like an amphitheater. He is married to the former Virginia “Jenny” Harris ’56. They reside in Clear Brook, VA and are parents of three daughters: Nancy Wade, Jane Smith, and Anne Smith.

GSC’s Buddy M. Griffin ’71 will receive the Alumni Association’s Community Service Award in recognition for his invaluable and devoted service to Glenville State College, the Community of Glenville, the State of West Virginia, Appalachia, and beyond in making this nation a better place through his work in Bluegrass Music. Buddy is a renowned string musician and longtime Nashville performer. Buddy started the Bluegrass Degree Program at GSC and continues to be director of this program. He has volunteered of his time to travel to various alumni Christmas events with his bluegrass students, providing the evening’s entertainment. Buddy is frequently asked to play the fiddle at the Grand Ole Opry with Jesse McReynolds, the surviving member of the world famous Grammy winning Bluegrass duo Jim and Jesse McReynolds, McReynolds being a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1964.

James E. Giles ’81 will receive the Alumni Association’s Outstanding Teacher Award in honor of his distinguished career in elementary and secondary education and the recognition this has brought to Glenville State College. Jim was Nicholas County’s Teacher of the Year in 2008 and went on to become one of seven finalists at the state level for West Virginia Teacher of the Year. Mr. Giles has taught for 28 years in Nicholas County Schools (18 years in elementary/10 years in secondary). He has been the guest presenter at various State, Regional, and National Science Conferences including: the 21^st Century State Conference (2006); Regional Science Conferences in Baltimore (1995); and Pittsburgh (1998); and National Science Conferences in New Orleans (1996); Las Vegas (1997); and Boston (1998). He has conducted various science workshops at the State level as well. Jim and his wife, Rosalie Giles ’82, reside at Camden-on-Gauley. They have one daughter, Veronica Giles Westfall ’95; one son, James Giles; and two grandchildren, Logan Westfall and Nicole Giles.

Two gentlemen will be honored posthumously for their distinguished careers and devoted service to Glenville State College. They are Jack V. Stalnaker ’42 and Professor Emeritus Dr. Espy W. Miller.

Jack Stalnaker was a well known Gilmer County personality and long time area business and community leader. Jack joined the staff of Kanawha Union Bank in 1953. Promotions through the ranks led him to become bank president in 1977, a position he held until retiring in 1984. (Kanawha Union Bank being the forerunner of United Bank, Glenville). He was a former Gilmer County representative in the West Virginia House of Delegates and was active in civic and community affairs for more than six decades. Glenville State College has lost a friend and faithful supporter in Jack Stalnaker and Gilmer County has lost a quiet, kind, and generous native son. An alumnus of GSC, Jack was first appointed to the GSC Alumni Foundation in 1971, served as this board’s vice-president from 1972-1976, and as its president from 1977-1997. The Glenville State College Alumni Association awarded Jack with their Alumni Service Award in 1985 and honored him with their prestigious Alumnus of the Year Award in 1998. Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Carpenter Stalnaker ’66. He is survived by their two children, Sue Ann Stalnaker Charles ’71 of Buffalo, New York and Glenville and GSC’s David Stalnaker ’76 of Glenville. He passed away at his Glenville home on July 27, 2008 following an extended illness.

Dr. Espy Miller departed this life on October 6, 2008. A longtime retired professor of English and chairman of the Language Division, Dr. Miller was a gentleman and a scholar. He joined the English faculty at GSC as an instructor in English and journalism in 1946. After obtaining a doctorate from Ohio State in 1959, which he obtained while on a leave of absence from Glenville, he came back to his College, became chairman of the Language Division, and held that position until his retirement in 1976. Dr. Miller taught many courses including Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Mythology where his effectiveness in the classroom is legendary. (Returning alums often spoke of his vast knowledge and enthusiasm for language and literature while maintaining the highest academic standards. More importantly, they always noted how he encouraged them to continue their educational lives and service to others beyond Glenville. They tell of how Dr. Miller touched and enriched the lives of so many young men and women through his career at Glenville State College.) Dr. Miller was preceded in death by his wife, Rosalea Poling Miller. He always considered Glenville State College “his college” and was a dues paying, life time member of the Alumni Association.

Dr. Debra Foust Burns ’87 and Robert J. “Bob” Burns ’88 will be recognized for the early and remarkable success they have achieved in their careers and be receiving the Alumni Association’s Outstanding Young Alumna and Outstanding Young Alumnus award(s). Debra has her doctorate degree from the University of Kansas in music therapy (1999) where she was awarded honors for her dissertation defense. She has completed post doctoral fellowships from IU School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN (Walther Cancer Institute, 2000-2002, and IU School of Medicine, 2002-2005), these both being in Behavioral Oncology. Debra has held continual Music Therapy Board Certification since 1992 and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Music and Arts Technology at IU’s Purdue School of Engineering and Technology where cancer research through musical therapy for patients has been the focus of her career. Bob received his masters of music education in 1998 from Illinois State University in Normal, IL and received Continuing Education for Licensure from the IU School of Music Program at IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN (2003-2004). He holds two licensures, Indiana Teaching License for Choral, General, and Instrumental Music (2001 – current) and Certified Mentor Teacher (2007-current). Bob has been involved in every aspect of music: education, composition, business, and performance. He is an Assistant Band Director at Avon High School in Avon, IN where he works with marching and concert bands, small ensembles, and jazz ensembles. (Avon’s Marching Band was Grand National Champion in the 2008 Bands of America Competition and they have won numerous state awards during Bob’s tenure at the school.) Additionally he has played in many ballroom dance orchestras since graduating from GSC. Bandleaders for whom he has played include Tony Barron (and later under Barry Wagner), Al Pierson, Ronnie Scott, Johnnie Kaye, Bobby Layne, Dwaine Muller, Buselli/Wallarab, Roy Geesa, etal. Bob has played behind headliners Marie Osmond and Lou Rawls and continues to lead Midnight Sanity and other local jazz combos. Debra and Bob have two sons and reside in Avon, IN.

A complete schedule of the day’s events is shown below. Prior reservations are required for the banquet. Contact the Alumni Office at (304) 462-4122, local or (866) 239-0285, toll free for more information or to make your reservations.

• 10:00 a.m. GSC Golf Tournament (contact Dwaine Osborne at (304) 462-7361 ext 7228 for more information)
• 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Social Time for Everyone, Alumni Center (This will be your headquarters for throughout the day.)
• 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. College Bookstore Open
• 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. College Library Open
• 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. GSC’s Alumni Art Show, featuring paintings by Professor Emeritus James W. “Jim” Rogers ’63 (Mr. Rogers will be receiving guests from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. that day), Fine Arts Gallery
• 3:00 p.m. Lori Ware’s Senior Recital, Fine Arts Auditorium
• 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Reception for this year’s honor class, the class of 1984 (25 years) and our recognition classes (1942, 1955, 1963, 1971, 1981, 1982, and 1988), Pre-function area, Mollohan Center (Everyone is invited to attend and visit with members of these classes.)
• 4:30 p.m. Presentation by Mr. Lacy Jones to the Alumni Center (i.e. Faculty Wives friendship quilt that was presented to his father-in-law and mother-in-law, former President D. Banks Wilburn (1964-1977) and Mrs. Vivian Wilburn, when they retired from GSC), Pre-function area, Mollohan Center
• 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Banquet Attendees Reception, Pre-function area, Mollohan Center
• 6:00 p.m. Alumni Banquet, Ballroom, Mollohan Center – Please R.S.V.P. by April 22^nd to attend the banquet