Concord Celebrates 145th Anniversary

Pictured above is Dr. Boggess introducing keynote speaker, Mr. David Barnette.
Photo Courtesy of concord.edu

On March 1, Concord University held an annual Founder’s Day Ceremony to celebrate 145 years of work. President Dr. Kendra Boggess addressed achievements of the school and awarded students, faculty and staff members for their outstanding work with the Presidential Excellence Award.

    “Founders Day is the day when we can celebrate the rich history and the promising future of Concord,” said President Boggess in her speech. “It allows us a time to reflect on how our past has shaped us and who we are, and as an opportunity to define our goals we’ve set for ourselves in the future.”

    The Keynote Address this year was done by Mr. David Barnette, who graduated from Concord in 1973. Barnette is a Counsel and Member of Jackson Kelly PLLC in Charleston, W.Va. and Vice Chair of the Concord University Board of Governors. His law practice is focused on “business law, business litigation, technology and intellectual property matters,” Concord’s press release says. “Since 1991, Mr. Barnette has been the General Counsel to the West Virginia Broadcasters Association. […] Mr. Barnette is a regular contributor and writer in the area of broadcast law and is the co-author of Keeping It Legal, a guide for broadcasters published by the West Virginia Broadcasters Association.”

    In his speech, Mr. Barnette addressed his own experience as a student at Concord and spoke in a respectful and sometimes funny way about two of his professors who influenced him the most.     

           After Mr. Barnette’s speech, the president announced the recipients of the Presidential Excellence Award – award that “recognizes faculty, staff, and students who have clearly demonstrated dedication and service to Concord University and the surrounding community,” the President’s office release says. There were five categories for the award – Faculty Presidential Excellence Award, Classified Staff Presidential Excellence Award, Non-Classified Staff Presidential Excellence Award, Student Presidential Excellence Award and Auxiliary Staff (Aramark, Bookstore, Research Cooperation, & WFF Custodial Services) Presidential Excellence Award.

    The winners were: Mr. Lonnie Bowe, Dr. Bill Ofsa, and Dr. Joan Pendergast for the Faculty Presidential Excellence Award; Mr. Eric Jewell, Ms. Miranda Martin, Mr. Doug Moore and Ms. Andrea Webb for Classified Staff Presidential Excellence Award; Mrs. Alicia Besenyei and Mrs. Connie Shumate for Non-Classified Staff Presidential Excellence Award; Mr. Blake Farmer, Ms. Chelsea Goins and Ms. Sarah Woody for Student Presidential Excellence Award; Mrs. Anna Bell, Mrs. Melanie Farmer and Mrs. Florence Sargent for Auxiliary Staff Presidential Excellence Award.

    “I am greatly honored to receive this award,” says Chelsea Goins, student at Concord University and the recipient  of Student Presidential Excellence Award. “I have devoted so much time towards Concord not only academically, but I also have worked in the Bookstore, Library, and President’s Office on top of being a cheerleader. While being at Concord I have met some of the most amazing people and learned so much that makes my dedication to the school worthwhile. Receiving this award has motivated me to continue to get more involved with Concord and promote upcoming students to seek what great things we [Concord] have to offer.”

    Dr. Joan Pendergast, winner of Faculty Presidential Excellence Award, says “I was not able to attend Founders’ Day but am delighted to have been given this award. I think there are many people at Concord that are doing excellent work so I feel very privileged to receive such recognition.”

    Mr. Eric Jewell, winner of Classified Staff President Excellence Award says, “Obviously it feels good to win such an award and to be recognized and appreciated for what you do, especially when the bulk of your job takes place during non-traditional work hours.” He states, “I am appreciative and thankful for the award but in reality it belongs to the entire Housing Office because we all do what we can to make Concord a better place. I think the award is a good way to recognize staff, faculty, and students for their efforts because it helps show some insight into what others do here at Concord and shows how dedicated the stakeholders of Concord are to be successful.”

    President Boggess says she feels proud to be celebrating 145th Founders’ Day, because the university always meant and still means a lot for the community. “I think it is amazing. If you ever get to the library, you see how little they started with. They didn’t even have heat in the building and they had to go outside to use the restroom. I mean it is amazing. And then that burned down, and the next morning after the place burned down, there was a group of families, here at Athens, who gathered together and began rebuilding it. It meant that much to them. It means a lot to us, to keep it going,” says Dr. Boggess. “I think it is important to recognize all the great things people do here.”

    Dr. Timothy Mainland, Grand marshal and professor of music said he enjoyed Mr. Barnette’s speech “because I remember Dr. Jack McMichael [one of two professors Mr. Barnette mentioned] very well. He became a good friend and mentor of mine when I first came here. […] He was a good man and it was inspiring to hear about him.”