Ferrum College will celebrate the inauguration of its 12th president, David L. Johns, Ph.D., on Friday, Oct. 19 at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will be held in Vaughn Chapel located on the College’s campus. Phyllis Karavatakis ’76, chair of the Ferrum College Board of Trustees, will install Johns. Beth Rushing, president of the Appalachian College Association, will bring the keynote address.
Dr. Johns graduated from Malone University in Canton, Ohio in 1985, then earned an M.A. in Theology from the Earlham School of Religion, an M.L.S. from Kent State University, and a Ph.D. in Theology from Duquesne University in 1999. He taught at Wilmington College and the Earlham School of Religion; worked as a college chaplain and an academic librarian; lectured at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Puebla, Mexico, the Instituto de Jorge Fox in Ocotepeque, Honduras; and was a scholar-in-residence at the Centro de Estudios Ecuménicos in Mexico City
Johns became president of Ferrum College on January 1, 2018. Prior to arriving at the College, he served as vice president for academic affairs and dean of college at Union College in Kentucky.
To celebrate this historic moment, Ferrum College invites members of the College, community and Ferrum alumni to join in the festivities surrounding the inauguration. These events begin on Thursday evening, Oct. 18, when the College hosts Rev. Anna Woofenden, visiting pastor of peace and spirituality at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Mount Vernon, Ohio, as part of the Rev. Dr. Wasena F. Wright, Jr. ’60 and Mrs. Patricia G. Wright Endowed Lecture Series. She will speak about “Food and Faith: Conversations from the Soil and Around the Table” at 7:00 p.m. in the Panther’s Den located in lower Franklin Hall on campus. This event is free and open to the public.
Following the inauguration on Friday, Oct. 19, the community is invited to participate in a family-friendly bike tour hosted by Ferrum Outdoors at 1:00 p.m. Also at 1:00 p.m., the 27th Annual Corron Classic Panther Open Golf Tournament will commence at Great Oaks Country Club in Floyd. Registration at www.ferrum.edu/homecoming is required for both events.
Community members are also invited to bring a lawn chair and enjoy the following outside events that are free and do not require registration: • The Homecoming parade will process down Wiley Drive on campus beginning at 4:00 p.m., followed by food trucks and children’s activities, plus live music by Twin Creeks Stringband at 5:15 p.m. and The Blue Crawdads at 7:00 p.m. • Fireworks over Adams Lake at 9:00 p.m. will conclude the evening’s events with s’mores immediately following outside Stanley Library.
Homecoming and Family Weekend festivities will continue on Saturday, Oct. 20, with reunions, tailgating, and a 4:00 p.m. football game showcasing the Ferrum College Panthers versus the Washington and Lee Generals at W.B. Adams Stadium. Football game tickets are available at the gate for $10 cash only. The weekend festivities will conclude with a 9:30 a.m. worship service at Saint James United Methodist Church in Ferrum on Sunday, Oct. 21.
For more information regarding Dr. Johns’ inauguration, Rev. Woofenden’s presentation, Homecoming events, and to register for events, please visit www.ferrum.edu/homecoming or call the Alumni Office at 540-365-4216.
