Class Notes

Derek Rang ’07 named as football coach at Gatlinburg-Pittman Rang compiled a 32-8 record in three seasons at Dresden, including a perfect 15-0 season a year ago that was capped by a Class 1A state championship. Rang replaces Benny Hammonds, who retired on Feb. 23 after 45 seasons at Gatlinburg-Pittman. In his time with the Highlanders, Hammonds posted a 347-165 record. His 348 career wins – he went 1-8-1 during a one-year stint with Cocke County in 1969 – ranks fourth all-time in the state of Tennessee behind Alcoa’s Gary Rankin (397), St. George’s Ken Netherland (368) and Brentwood Academy’s Carlton Flatt (355). “I would like to thank Dr. Jack Parton, of Sevier County Schools, and Tony Ogle and AJ Bennett of Gatlinburg-Pittman High School for giving me the opportunity to be the next head football coach at Gatlinburg-Pittman,” Rang said in a Gatlinburg-Pittman release. “I have the utmost respect for the program coach Benny Hammonds has built over the last 45 years, and, while following a legend will not be easy, I feel we will continue the tradition of excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community of Gatlinburg that Coach Hammonds has established. “I cannot wait to join the school and community and start working with the wonderful people of Gatlinburg-Pittman.” Rang has plenty of ties to East Tennessee, beginning with his playing days at Maryville High School and Maryville College. He began his coaching career as an assistant football coach at Anderson County and also has stints as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman and as a defensive coordinator at South-Doyle and West.

Writes in to say, greetings to all in 2016! Her Maryville sweetheart and husband, William (Bill) C. Birch, MC graduate of 1968, died the morning of Christmas Day, 2012. Bill was an Education & History major while she majored in English Lit. They met at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary where they both earned a Master’s of Divinity. They enjoyed nearly 30 years of ministry, which led them finally to Fort Wayne, IN. After Bill’s death, she continued worshiping at Trinity Presbyterian Church, pastored by Kevin Boyd, a classmate from LPTS. There she happened to meet her new groom, Channing D Rash, an electrical engineer originally from Joliet, IL. He was widowed shortly before she was when his dear wife, Rosemary, died in August 2012. They made their home in Huntington, IN, southwest of Fort Wayne. Chan relocated to Fort Wayne…a change that allowed them to meet! They married on May 9, 2015 and continue to live in Fort Wayne, IN., enjoying retirement, the joys of his family (daughter, Kati & her fellow, Jaime and their nearly 5 year old daughter, Elicia). They also enjoy his son David, a recent graduate from Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne. He graduated Suma Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in I.T. David lives in Indianapolis, IN).

has been chosen to teach in Cleveland, Ohio, in the nationally recognized program Teach For America, which places high achieving college graduates into poverty stricken communities to provide those students with an excellent education.

just completed her first short film this summer. It is called “Southern Fried Thanksgiving” and is available to view on YouTube. A special showing of the film is scheduled for Maryville PFLAG chapter’s meeting on November 6, 2014. Amy is also writing a series of monologues for either a live performance or web shorts.

is currently at the University of South Carolina in the Ph.D. program. His research focuses on the sociophonetic variation and change in the English varieties of the American South, particularly of the Appalachian region. My ongoing dissertation work centers on the intersection of monophthongization, intonation, and place-based identity in East Tennessee.

received her masters in Supervision and Administration in 2011 and her Education Specialist degree in 2012 from Lincoln Memorial University.

Devan Reynolds ’13 has taken on the role of General Manager for Abridged Beer Company, a West Knoxville Brewpub.

husband, Dr. Clay Crowder, passed away in August 2015.

has moved to Otterbein Retirement Community, run by the United Methodist Church. She says she loves her new home.

Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Aimee Madeline Wriggins Richmond, MD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Richmond celebrates many years’ experience in her professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process. Read the full profile here: http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/aimee-madeline-wriggins-richmond-md-presented-with-the-albert-nelson-marquis-lifetime-achievement-award-by-marquis-whos-who-451781.php

recently spent three weeks volunteering in the Rarotonga, Cook Islands (South Pacific) with Global Volunteers. While there, he taught Literacy to elementary students as well as volunteered at a center for adults with disabilities.

traveled this past summer to the remote Cook Islands (located in the South Pacific) with Global Volunteers. While there, he taught literacy and math to elementary-aged children. He also volunteered at a center for disabled adults.

married Justin Ridenour, June 25, 2016.

Recently named new William Blount Athletic Director. After MC he went on to earn his Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and an EdS at Lincoln Memorial. The first semester will be the most challenging for Ridge as he balances his new assistant principal duties with athletic director as well as head football coach.

writes in to share that she was employee of the year 2017.

Dr. Melinda Roberts was promoted to Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Southern Indiana in 2018. She published two articles in 2019: Roberts, M. R., Turner, W., Howard, L.A., Gilles, E., & Statham, A. A. (2019). Gender and social justice: An examination of attitudes and behaviors among undergraduate liberal arts students. Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work. 34(4), 552-567. Belarmino, M. & Roberts, M. R. (2019). Japanese gender role expectations and attitudes: A qualitative analysis of gender inequality. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 20(7), 272-288. She also received the Park Award for Excellence in Research for her research “Cultivating Global Citizens: Understanding the impact of social justice in education” from the World Communication Association in July 2019.

has let the College know that “Charlie and I continue to enjoy retirement. We have downsized to a smaller home and live next door to our daughter and her husband, Rob & Dawn R. Bailes. Of our 4 grandsons, we will celebrated the first to marry in October, William Lawson Roberts.”

was recently inducted into the University of Tennessee’s Educators Hall of Honor! Bill, who attended MC, served as the Orchestra at Maryville College’s concertmaster from 1978-1991 and as its conductor from 1991-2013.

Deputy at Blount County Sheriff’s Office, receives Lifesaving Award. Deputy Patrolman Rodgers was awarded for helping to save the life of a man who was trapped inside a vehicle that had become submerged upside down in the water on the night of April 21. Deputy Rodgers, along with a citizen, Mr. Scott Snipp, entered the water and freed the victim. Their actions likely saved the victims life. Rodgers and his brother, Reuben are MC alumni and they both played football for the College.

writes in to share that she is still enjoying being the organist and handbell director of New Providence Presbyterian in Maryville, TN. She has enjoyed this position since March, 1974.

Betsabé Román González was awarded a 2017 UC MEXUS-CONACYT Postdoctoral Fellowship for her project “Transnational Children Returning to American Schools and Communities from Mexico” at UC San Diego. She explores an understudied trajectory of migration by returnees or retornados, young migrants who were born in the United States, lived in Mexico for a period of time and then returned to U.S. communities and schools. Román González has presented results from her research at a number of academic conferences and forums including the International Conference on Geographies of Children, Youth and Family; the UC-Mexico Initiative’s “The Students We Share”; and the International Studies Associations (both Mexican and International, AMEI and ISA). For more information: http://ucmexus.ucr.edu/spotlight/betsabe-roman-gonzalez.html

was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Long Haul Award by the Tennessee Alliance for Progress on MAy 15th, 2014 in Nashville TN

writes in to share that in January she was elected Vice-President of the Knoxville Oakridge Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

David started a job as Curriculum Coordinator at the Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, Ohio.

WVLT interviewed Lizzie Ruch Smith ’16 during one of their newscasts. Lizzie Ruch Smith ’16, a music teacher in Texas, wrote a song to sum up how she feels about the transition to online learning and teaching. She posted the video to TikTok, and now the video is going viral. Knoxville CBS affiliate WVLT-TV featured her this week – watch the video! https://www.wvlt.tv/content/news/Maryville-College-grad-goes-viral-with-TikTok-quarantine-song-569815591.html